Bryan Staring rode to a safe 20th place finish in Texas to set his season in the right direction.

Gresini Honda rider Bryan Staring is hopeful of making further significant progress on the team’s MotoGP CRT entry after a trouble-free ride to 20th place at the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas.

The Australian had been determined to deliver a race finish after crashing out in Qatar, but admitted an almighty struggle earlier in the weekend to learn the best lines.

While pushing forward in qualifying, Staring was undercut by an ambitious overtaking move from Karel Abrham, which resulted in both riders tumbling from their bikes.

It was a minor setback and Staring was able to move forward and achieve the aim of a “respectable result”.

He raced solidly and found a comfortable rhythm on the FTR-Honda machine, saying the result was a lot better than it looked on paper.

“I am really happy to have finished the race here, which was important for me in terms of learning the lines from the other more experienced riders and the fact that we managed to improve on our best lap from practice,” he said.

“Overall I think this proves that we need more time o the bike to adapt and to become more competitive in this class.”

Team owner Fausto Gresini praised Staring’s approach and consistent performance.

“It was important for Bryan to finish this race and he picked up valuable experience as well as improving his lap time, which is a positive sign for the future,” said Gresini.