Having pressed reset during the summer break, Petronas SRT’s John McPhee was raring to go at Spielberg, securing second overall in the first day of StyrianGP Moto3 preparations.
Kicking off the second half of the season in the best way possible, McPhee got his Austrian adventure off to a great start. Posting strong laps throughout FP1 and briefly holding the top spot before concluding the opening session third - thanks to a 1’37.189 lap - the Scot sat just 0.052secs shy of the top time after the first 40-minutes on track.
With the threat of rain hanging in the mountain air, the Andorran-resident waited for the final moments of FP2 to improve his time, despite remaining in the top group throughout the session.
Completing the afternoon with a best effort of 1’36.849, McPhee ended the day a mere 0.040s slower than teammate Darryn Binder, and second in the combined times.
“I didn’t actually realise how much I needed the reset that the summer break provided, but I was certainly ready to come back once we got to the last week” the Scotsman said from the Red Bull Ring.
“It’s great to be here, especially with a double header, as it means we can get going properly.
“It was a solid day one, third in FP1 and then second in FP2 and overall. I’m happy and working well with the team, so I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
“We can work some more on the race setup but I think weather is going to play a big part. We’re taking it session-by-session but working towards the race, as that’s where it counts most. I’m feeling good riding alone and my one lap pace is good,” he concluded.
