At KTM as elsewhere, we suspect that the 2023 season will be one of truth for many drivers and manufacturers in a Grand Prix paddock which will experience a frantic pace like never before, with the advent of sprint races. Among those who will have to face high stakes, there are the Austrians who have renewed almost all of their four drivers, since only the valiant and reckless Brad Binder has been retained. The fact remains that in Mattighofen, all eyes will be on a certain Fabiano Sterlacchini, taken two years ago from Ducati and put at the head of technical development. And as he is one of these Italians taken by the Italian brand, he is awaited at the turn by his compatriots. This is what Carlo Pernat makes him understand, in what is not quite a greeting card...
Fabiano Sterlacchini is not nothing in the organization chart of KTM erected for its RC16 project in MotoGP. It arrived at the Austrian brand directly from Ducati in the summer of 2021 to occupy the strategic position of “Head of Technology MotoGP”. In this capacity, he now coordinates and supervises the development of the KTM RC16. A dimension that Pete Beirer, the director of KYM Motorsport confirms: “ Fabiano is now the undisputed technical leader ". However, the same states: “ he didn't come to show us how to work. But he coordinates these tasks and brings his experience ».
Months have passed since its installation, enough to take a first look at the situation. “ I'm really impressed by Fabiano's contribution since summer 2021 »Comments Pete Beirer on speedweek. Concretely, improvements were tested in September during the Misano tests, they proved their worth from the Aragon Grand Prix, with positions on the starting grid which improved, while defects and other delays been treated. Brad Binder finished 4th in Aragón, 2nd in Motegi and Valencia, whileOlive tree triumphed in Buriram, and before that in Mandalika.
At KTM, we will have to show that there is a before and an after Fabiano Sterlacchini
Not bad, but some were hoping for a great evening, the kind to transfigure this RC16 which would have received a bit of the power of the Desmosedici through the incantations of one of its direct designers. But Brad Binder reminds us that it doesn’t work like that in MotoGP: “ there were no drastic changes in 2022, only small steps » said the South African. “ Sometimes there were small changes at the front, other times at the rear, then a little more driver assistance for better acceleration. Or support with braking behavior. All of these little steps don't seem like much at the moment, but when added up, they move us a few tenths of a second faster. Maybe two, three tenths, but that makes the difference in MotoGP these days. Finding a second is a thing of the past in MotoGP. Be careful with small margins ».
Certainly, but we must also show that there was a before and an after Fabiano Sterlacchini, and this will be the whole challenge of this year 2023, if we judge by this approach of Charles Pernat, in the air and meeting on objective: “ I expected greater growth from KTM in 2022, given that Sterlacchini has been there for two years » comments the manager and chronicles on GP One. " Perhaps now they have taken a little more guarantees by taking Giribuola as responsible for the development of the second team. Taking Miller and Populin and having a driver like Binder at home is also a plus ". Then he concludes: “ this is a very important year for KTM, which must take the step they have not yet taken ". It is not only the two Japanese manufacturers still competing in the Grand Prix that will have to give accounts within twelve months.
