Just a few days after the end of the 2018 season, the riders were present this Friday, November 23 on the Jerez circuit for the opening of a new era which is dawning for the Moto2 category.
Having remained unchanged since its launch in 2010, it now uses a Triumph engine with a displacement of 765 cm3, as well as more sophisticated Magneti Marelli electronics.
After this first official day of testing, a few riders spoke about the British powertrain which now has the task of moving motorcycles in the intermediate category: bigger, more powerful and delivering more torque, this one apparently has all the reasons to satisfy them…
It should also be noted that the names currently appearing in the upper zone of the ranking do not constitute a real surprise since they were already there this year, just like that of Kalex.
Marcel schrotter, Kalex, Intact GP, 6th at 0,540: “it was a successful first day. Everything worked very well. We had no problems with the new engine and electronics, and were able to do many laps and try some things already.”
Brad Binder, KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, 8th at 0,574: “Today was a good day. It was our first time with the new bike after the end of the season and we rode on a completely different track from last time. In general, I felt very comfortable and even better as the laps went on. The team worked very well; we made some progress during the day. I'm very happy with how everything went overall. We have a lot of work to do, but it's the same for all the teams. There is a lot to improve, but we started in a positive way.”
Alex Marquez, Kalex, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, 9th at 0,615: “I am happy to have discovered all these new things today. As well as learning the new Triumph engine, I have to adapt to the new members of my team, but it's been a good day. The conditions were quite difficult this morning and we had to wait a bit before we could start testing. The bike is completely different and we have a lot of work to do to find the right settings. As always with such a new project, we had a few small teething problems. My pace on the bike was good and I feel good on it because the torque from the new Triumph engine is incredible. We have a lot of fun riding this motorcycle. We have to raise it when exiting the corner, I still have to adapt.”
Tom Luthi, Kalex, Intact GP, 12th at 1,035: “it was nice to join the team. You can feel a huge team spirit. Today was my first time riding this bike. I felt comfortable from the start. Of course, I need time to adapt.”
George Martin, KTM, Red Bull KTM Ajo, 15th at 1,158: “It was a positive day, despite the accident and the fracture of two bones in my foot. We had a good pace and I gradually gained confidence. I was on a very good lap, but the chattering made me fall. It's a shame and it makes me very angry to start my period with Red Bull KTM Ajo like this, but being positive, it's better that it happens now rather than in the middle of the season. Now it’s time to work to come back stronger.”
Xavi Verge, Kalex, EG 0,0 Marc VDS, 16th at 1,165: “The day was very exciting because of this new challenge, and I must say that the Triumph engine is incredible. The torque is fantastic and I can feel a lot more power compared to the engine we have used so far in Moto2, especially when you open the throttle at the exit and accelerate. We have to work on adapting the bike to my riding style, but I'm happy with how the first day went. With the Honda engine, you had to keep a lot of speed in corners, I think the riding style will now be closer to MotoGP. We will have to take advantage of the exit of the turns to exploit the engine.”
Khairul Idham Pawi, Kalex, Petronas Sprinta Racing, 20th at 1,613: “Today was my first day with the team, I was really excited to arrive here and join this big Petronas Sprinta Racing family. I felt good at the start of the day, but had some chattering in the front and back. So far the feeling on the bike with the new engine is really impressive and overall everything has gone well. We just need to get together with the team, analyze the information we gathered today and find things to help us improve tomorrow.”
Jake dixon, KTM, Ángel Nieto Team, 25th, at 2,198: “It was a good first day, which we spent learning the bike and how everything works, from the team to the tires, which is all new for me. I had a good feeling from the first round and I was able to have fun on the KTM. I’m looking forward to the next two days of testing here in Jerez to continue learning with the team before the first race.”
Marco Bezzecchi, KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, 26th at 2,225: “This start was pretty good. We worked a lot on the bike because at the beginning the riding position and the balance of the machine were far from being achieved. In the end, we rode better and better. Unfortunately the track temperature dropped a lot when we found our best condition of the day, but we still discovered a lot of important things for tomorrow. I know I need to improve my riding style a lot, but overall it's been good.”
Philipp Ottl, KTM, Red Bull KTM Tech3, 29th, at 3,213: “Today was a very interesting day for us. We were learning the bike with the team and I think at the end of the day we found a good direction to take for tomorrow. I have worked a lot on my riding style, which I have to adapt to the Moto2 bike, because it is much bigger and a little heavier than my previous machine. I think we can get through this and overall I have a good feeling.”
Xavi Cardelús, KTM, Ángel Nieto Team, 30th at 3,483: “I am pleasantly surprised by the new bike because it is quite powerful and more adjustable in terms of mapping, power and engine braking. With the team, I am happy at the end of this first day, they helped me with everything I needed. We had to make some adjustments to the fuel tank to get me comfortable and I noticed the difference right away on the track. I'm happy, but it's a bit bittersweet because I know I could have gone even faster if we had found a solution to the fuel tank problem earlier. Regardless, we still have two days to give our best.”
