Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira fought back from 14th on the grid to finish 10th in Saturday’s Sprint at Silverstone, narrowly missing out on points after a determined ride.
Moreira missed out on Q2 and started the Sprint from 14th, leaving him with plenty of work to do over the short race distance.
The Brazilian rookie made a difficult start, finding himself caught in the middle of the pack through the opening corners. However, he gradually settled into his rhythm and began making progress through the field.
“The first three corners were difficult because I was in the middle of the group and it was hard to find a good space. Then I managed to settle into my rhythm and started overtaking some riders, so overall it was good,” Moreira said.
As the Sprint progressed, Moreira continued to pick off rivals and moved into contention for a top-10 finish. He also managed the increasing tyre degradation well, adapting his riding as the race entered its final stages.
“As the tyre degradation increased, we had to adapt to the situation, but we managed it well,” he added.
The final three laps proved particularly demanding, but Moreira remained composed and avoided any mistakes as he pushed for a points-paying position.
“The last three laps were demanding, so I focused on being smooth through the corners, managing the bike and making sure we did our best until the finish.”
Moreira ultimately crossed the line in 10th, just outside the points. Despite missing out on a points finish, his recovery from 14th provides useful data and confidence heading into Sunday’s main race at Silverstone.
