Rain was expected for this Saturday in Assen, but it fell on the track during the night. Thus, there were many reasons to believe that it would not disrupt the hostilities on the track. And yet…
The front tire, a threat?
This is not new; Since the first Michelin tests, MotoGP riders have favored the rear and sometimes much less the front, the source of numerous falls during winter tests, both in the dry and in the wet.
The temperature was around 18°C in the air this morning before FP3. This parameter played an important role in the choice of tires and settings of the different machines, with a good number of crashes as a result.
“The conditions during free practice were really very difficult,” entrusts
Valentino Red, second on the grid. “You made a lot of mistakes even though you were very slow. In these moments, if you attack just a little bit more, you clearly have the feeling that you are going to fall. » (More information)
Andrea Dovizioso, the pole man is of the same opinion, “A lot of riders crashed easily by locking up the front, which means the grip of the front tire is not very good. » (More information)
Marc Marquez, 4th on the grid tomorrow, is part of the list of those who made a mistake, “I made a mistake and fell on my second lap,” says Dani Pedrosa’s teammate. “I had to get back to my box as quickly as possible. The marshals were too far away and I saw a scooter with the keys on it. There was no one around. I took it and then saw that it belonged to a photographer (Tino Martino). He let me do it. But I must admit that if he hadn't wanted to, I would have gone with it anyway! » (More information)
Jorge Lorenzo had to change the settings of his machine to provide stability at the front, “I wasn't comfortable with the front tire. It looked like it was trying to close the front of the bike when cornering. So, we changed the settings to put more weight on the front. » Lorenzo fails in 11th position in the Q2 standings. On Sunday, he will only use the standard chassis after testing the new one this morning. (More information)
As to whether mixed conditions will allow the use of intermediate tire, nothing is decided, “It is always difficult to make the right decision,” explains Dovizioso. “There is always the possibility and, for me, in my opinion, a small chance of using the intermediaries. Maybe that can happen here in Assen, because if the temperatures are low it could be interesting, because the temperature of the intermediates could rise very quickly, so you can ride the intermediates before the slicks. »
2017, again and again...
As the chessboard of official teams comes to an end, it is now up to the independent teams to work for the 2017 season. Today, it is on the team side Asparagus as the rumors began to take shape.
Eugene Laverty actively looking to try to stay in the MotoGP paddock, “If I have a competitive bike, I am ready to stay in MotoGP,” explains Laverty to our colleagues at Crash.net. But otherwise, “There is a possibility with the Ducati WorldSBK team, there are many good bikes with the Yamaha, the new Honda… A lot of change is expected. »
But then who would get these handlebars in the Aspar team? Only one name is circulating today: Baptist. The Spaniard knows he will no longer be with the Aprilia team next season. It is not yet certain whether the second Ducati of the Aspar team can be kept by Hernandez.
While the negotiations continue, the Grand Prix Commission met to decide theban on fins from 2017. For the record, the ailerons appeared to compensate for the lack of performance of the single software during acceleration phases. Relatively quick to develop and integrate, a fin today allows support of around 10 kg.
The ban on fins starting in 2017 may have several reasons: safety and costs. A spoiler is an external part which can prove dangerous on contact or for pilots on aspiration. Pedrosa and Crutchlow had also pointed out the turbulence caused by the ailerons in a straight line.
On the subject of cost, a fin is not difficult to set up. Banning them can only increase a manufacturer's expenses. From 2017, it will be with the fairings that the manufacturers will have to play. The price of developing a fairing will be much higher than a spoiler…
