Vi?ales: If you're off-line you crash

"If you don't race on the good line, you are lost, you crash," was Maverick Vi?ales assessment of the less-than-ideal Termas de Rio Hondo circuit after a fast fall at turn three was a blemish on an otherwise promising afternoon.

Suzuki's Vi?ales was the only non-Honda in the top five, with his fastest time of 1m 42.047s good enough for third overall as he continued to show strong pace through free practice in 2016.

Yet it was a fall mid-way through FP2 that the 21-year old put down to a loss of concentration that caused him to feel 'a little disappointed with myself' at the close of the day.

"[I'm] Good. A little bit disappointed with myself, because I made a mistake. I went a little bit wide on the line and I crashed. Every rider who crashed, crashed like this. So I was not enough concentrated on that lap.

"Anyway, then when I came back to the bike I was feeling good, I think still I could do more. I was careful in some points that make the lap time more fast. But I think I was able to make second.

"The Hondas made a good step, four in the first five, so here they are always going good. We feel good. Still we need to improve. When the track improves, everyone can make a better set up. Now the bikes are moving a lot and are all the time like this."

On the dangers of going off the narrow racing line and onto the dirtier asphalt, the Spaniard continued, "If you don't race on the good line, you are lost, you crash. So it's better that sometimes you brake a little bit early and try to make more speed on the good line, not go wide, like happened to me when I crashed."

Although the sixth-best placed rider in the championship feels it won't be an issue for the race on Sunday.

"I think for the race, the track will be clean. Anyway, here, there are many many points you can overtake without taking the wrong line. It's not like Qatar where there is only one line."

Using Suzuki's fully seamless gearbox throughout the day aboard his favoured 2015 chassis, Vi?ales felt more comfortable aboard Michelin's medium compound tyre, but is aware of the potential benefits of the hard.

"The soft is always a little bit better. But I want to check it good, because last year I remember Valentino chose the hard one, and was the good choice. So we need to take care after lap ten. We will see."