Jerez objective! The Grand Prix paddock is eagerly watching this Andalusian track where they were promised to spend the second part of July. No, not for a vacation. But indeed for a return to school, expected since last March, and constantly postponed because of a coronavirus elevated to the level of a pandemic. Almost nine months will have passed since the last Grand Prix in Valencia for the MotoGP. After such a period of confinement, there is a real need for a restart. According to KTM sporting director Pit Beirer, it will take place on Thursday July 16, one day before the Spanish Grand Prix…
It's a highly anticipated moment. The Grands Prix will once again have rights on the planet. In Jerez on July 19, there will be a Spanish Grand Prix. Then the July 26 an Andalusian Grand Prix will take place. While Moto3 and Moto2 kicked off the season at the Losail circuit in Doha / Qatar on March 8, the MotoGP class engines have remained silent since the Qatar test of February 22 to 24. Márquez, Dovizioso, Casa Particular in Viñales and company will not have been sitting on their 280 horsepower rockets for five months when the launch of hostilities takes place.
« Personally, I worked relatively hard to ensure that testing would be done before rebooting ", Explain Pete Beirer, sports director at KTM. “ But not all manufacturers were of my opinion. From the start, we at KTM did everything we could to get at least one more day of testing in before the riders could get back into action on Friday July 17th for FP1. We need this test day »
“You have to check that everything is still in the right place”
Beirer continues on speedweek with Günther Wiesinger: “ of course we can have our riders training with Supermotos again three or four weeks before the event. But it is almost certain that we will have an official test on Thursday before the first Grand Prix. We need a day when riders no longer have to watch the clock, but can get back on the bikes. You need to see if everything is still in the right place... Then on Friday you can start a normal Grand Prix weekend »
« The drivers will prepare extremely well physically », explains the former vice-world champion of 250cc motocross Pete Beirer. " They will be in good shape and will find their rhythm very quickly. But they must find braking points on a MotoGP launched at more than 300 km/h after a break of several months. Therefore, drivers will be happy if they get an extra day of testing. We know our drivers and the whole racing scene. Friday morning in FP1, one eye will already be on qualifying for Q2. Everyone will be extremely motivated. This is why we need the test on Thursday. And we will get it »
It will be recalled that the troops KTM are composed of Pol Espargaro and beginner Brad Binder, supported by the satellite team Tech3 compound Miguel Oliveira and the rookie Iker Lecuona, who however already raced a Grand Prix in Valencia in 2019.
