As in MotoGP, the Tech3 team completely changes in Moto2 to become the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team. In addition to the change in structure and machine, the team has two new drivers: Marco Bezzecchi and Philipp Oettl. All these people started the 2019 season during the first test organized on the Jerez circuit last weekend.
Team Tech3 started the 2019 pre-season with three days of testing on the Jerez track with the two rookies Marco Bezzecchi et Philipp Oettl. In addition to the changes mentioned in the introduction, the discovery was total for them who have just arrived from Moto3. So they discovered their new machine and the modifications they will need to make to adapt to it.
Marco Bezzecchi initially concluded the first day in twenty-sixth position, 2,2 seconds behind the best time achieved by Lorenzo Baldassarri: “My start was pretty good. We worked a lot on the bike because the riding position and the balance of the machine were far from what we have now perfected. In the end, it got better and better. I know I need to improve a lot on my riding style, but overall it's good. »
He continued his progress, finishing twenty-fourth on the second day and seventh on the third, although few drivers rode due to weather conditions. In the combined times of these three days, he ranks twenty-fifth: “I continued to work on my driving style which has improved a lot. We must continue to make progress on this point and also on the chassis settings. The whole team is very motivated and KTM also helps us a lot. In the wet my feeling was quite good but to be honest, I expected a little more. We also worked on the departure at the end of the last day and it was very positive. »
His new teammate, Philipp Oettl, also discovered Moto2 during this test, and never really ranked too far behind him. Indeed, he finished twenty-ninth on the first day, twenty-eighth on the second and eighth on the last.
The German ranks twenty-ninth in the combined times of these three days but is very positive: “With the team we discovered motorcycling together. I have worked a lot on my riding style which I have to adapt to the Moto2 machine which is much bigger and a little heavier than the one I rode in Moto3. Overall, my feeling is good. And I think we're moving in the right direction, where anything is possible. I felt comfortable in the wet, even better than in Moto3, which is very positive. I was also able to transfer certain things done in the wet to the dry, so we reached a milestone as the sessions progressed. The test was overall good, we learned a lot and found a good line of work. »
