After an exciting start to the MotoGP season, KTM is struggling to get closer to the podium: the analysis of team manager Francesco Guidotti.
About Luigi Ciamburro de Motoracing
It was supposed to be MotoGP's redemption season for KTM, but after the podium in Brad Binder at Losail and the victory of Miguel Oliveira in Indonesia, the RC16s were no longer able to attack the podium. Still in difficulty in the flying lap and in qualifying, it will take time to see the footprints of Fabiano Sterlacchini, the new technical director of KTM, and Francesco Guidotti, team manager of the factory team. The hiring of Jack Miller certainly bears the signature of the former Ducati manager of Tuscany. The goal is to have more experienced personalities who can contribute to the evolution of the Mattighofen prototype.
In the short term, the Austrian company's engineers will continue their work within regulatory limits. Qualifying remains the critical point, too often no orange motorcycle has had direct access to Q2. But at the German Grand Prix, for the second time this MotoGP season, all KTM riders finished in the points, Binder being the best driver of the brand with 7th place.
KTM seeks to resolve handicap in qualifying
« Once again we skipped Q2 by a few hundredths "Says Francesco Guidotti with reference to Miguel Oliveira, which missed the direct entry by 20 thousandths. “ We know that everything becomes more difficult for the race. This is particularly true at the Sachsenring, where the straight after the start is very short. This is why we were not able to recover as many places as in Barcelona or Mugello, thanks to a good start. They were very courageous because the track is not the easiest for overtaking. Climbing eight positions from the starting position is truly fantastic ».
These are certainly not the results that KTM awaits in the MotoGP championship. But planning a successful season will still take time and work. The arrival of Jack Miller, and possibly the return of Pol Espargaro, will support the Austrian cause. After all, Brad Binder occupies fifth position in the rider standings, just one point ahead of the Ducati factory rider duo, bagnaia et Miller. " We just need to be faster in qualifying to have a better starting position and play in the leading group – added the manager of the Italian team -. The race pace was there. Obviously we still need to develop certain areas of the bike where we understand there is room for improvement. This is not what we want. But if we consider the qualifications, we must be happy"
