It was then a matter of Ilmor, company founded in 1984, by the Swiss Mario Illien and the British Paul Morgan, two former Cosworth engineers, who intend to field a brand new MotoGP in 2007, the X3, also called X³In collaboration with Eskil Suter (SRT) which then supplied the cycle parts to Kawasaki for its ZX-RR…
From 1993 and until 2005, Mercedes-Benz gradually bought the entire F1 department (engines from Tyrrell, Sauber and McLaren) of the British company which also lost Paul Morgan in 2001, died in an accident in England while flying a World War II aircraft, a Hawker Sea Fury. The part Ilmor Engineering (involved in the United States in the design of engines for the IndyCar championship with Penske and General Motors) thus regains its independence, with its founder mario illien at its head, and it is therefore with a concern for diversification that the MotoGP adventure was born, wanting to take advantage of the compulsory transition to 800cc in 2007.
Initially, in June 2005, the idea of Mario Illien was to make an engine to sell it to a “big manufacturer” like what had happened in F1 and IndyCar. To promote it, it was asked to Eskil Suter to study and manufacture the chassis, obviously very close to that of the Kawasaki ZX-RR!
mario illien : " We need to be able to compete for the world title within three years. I am confident we can do it. We've done three track tests, and we've had an engine running on the dyno since April. We haven't had a catastrophic failure yet, and one of the engines worked on the test bench for more than 13 hours. »
The engine is developed by a dozen people in the workshops of Brixworth, in Northamptonshire, current location of
Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, the F1 engine department of AMG Mercedes... It is a 4cc 70° V799 with 4 valves per cylinder, pneumatic return, developing 215 horsepower at 18 rpm and equipped with a gearbox 000-speed Xtrac gearbox. It is managed by “in-house” electronics derived from F6. This new arrival from the world of Formula 1 in MotoGP, after the various failures known so far, materializes for example by procedures never seen before on a motorcycle, such as starting and warming up the engine to 1 rpm without the slightest blow of gas...
In fact, we don't know much else about this propellant, although two studies, one made at the time by the Italian company CRT, the other more recently by a Norwegian engineer, allow us to discover some small details…
In any case, the bike, called X3, is indeed lined up on the track for private tests with Gary McCoy in Albacete in June 2006, then in September during a test in Barcelona for a first confrontation which it won against the future Ducati 800cc…
Garry McCoy: When I first tested the bike in Albacete I couldn't believe how small it was, but luckily for me I'm small too, so I knew it wouldn't be a problem. The bike performed well from day one. I couldn't go very fast on it because I didn't know the track, so I thought I would stay calm, but I feel very comfortable riding it. The bike was impressive during testing in Barcelona, although we were still in shakedown mode.
It's a very exciting project and I'm glad Mario asked me to race for the team, I can't wait to meet the MotoGP guys again. Even though we have tested well so far, I don't have high expectations for the first two races, with the existing teams having 20% more engine performance as they still respect the current rules (990 cc). »
La X³ carried out a total of five tests (Albacete, Barcelona, Estoril, Jerez) before officially lining up as a wildcard for the last two races of the 2006 season, at Estoril then at Valencia. On this occasion, it abandoned its Dunlop tires in favor of Michelins.
Mario Illien: “ It's a real bonus for us to have a rider like Garry, who has won 500cc GPs, on the bike for the two wildcard races in Europe.
Our recent tests at Estoril and Jerez gave us a fantastic opportunity to really learn about how the bikes perform in different conditions. The Ilmor and Eskil Suter teams have worked extremely hard in a short space of time to get to this point, and I can't wait to see what we can do at Estoril. »
On October 12, 2006, as a prelude to the Portuguese Grand Prix, the Ilmor SRT X3 is officially presented to the press.
mario illien, owner, Ilmor: “ Over the years I have followed MotoGP closely, been interested in it and have always tried to attend at least two races each season. I was immediately fascinated by this sport and the technology used by the teams. For me it was particularly interesting when teams moved to four-stroke engines, so it's something I've always loved and looked for a way to get involved. I would like to thank Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna CEO) for giving us this fantastic opportunity to come here with the X3. It's very early for us in the project, and we are on a very steep learning curve, so don't expect too much: we are here in Estoril this weekend to learn and above all prepare for the year next time in order to be as competitive as possible. »
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports: “
For us, the presentation of Ilmor as a new MotoGP team is very important. I've been talking to Mario about this for years and even visited the Ilmor facility in Northampton. I was very impressed with the quality and technology they had there, but I wasn't surprised given Ilmor's background in other motorsports. This is a very important moment for MotoGP, Ilmor is a very prestigious engineering company that has made the decision to come to MotoGP and we wish them all the best. Of course, they have a lot of work ahead of them compared to the more established teams, but given all of Ilmor's experience, I think they will have a good chance next year to compete against the other teams, be in the middle or maybe even better than that. I wish them all the best. »
Steve Miller, CEO of Ilmor: “
There are a lot of people who came from motor racing to motorcycles and didn't do very well: we came here to learn and the combination of Mario and Eskil's experiences gives us a very good starting point . Naturally, we didn't design the bike's engine like we would a car and we're confident we've made the right compromises, because Mario said we're at the start of a very long road and the learning curve is going to be steep. It's fantastic to be here, because we've wanted to be here for so long, so it's great to finally get here! We're the new kids on the block, and the media interest is very flattering, but we're also a little in awe. »
Eskil Suter, owner and CEO of Suter Racing Technology: “It is a big task for us to participate here, first of all because the project is very new and we have had a relatively short development time, so we are realistic about our results this weekend. I think we also have to remember that we are racing 800cc bikes against 1000cc capacity bikes, so it's all relative. “
During the Grand Prix tests, and unlike the Barcelona test, the main teams obviously use their 1000cc engines, which relegates the “small” Ilmor 800cc to 5 seconds behind the poleman. Valentino Rossi.
Gary McCoy: « It was great, everything went as I hoped and I feel very comfortable on the bike. There were obviously a few small issues to sort out at the start, but that's normal and you expect that with any team. We made real progress today and I'm sure we will continue to make progress this weekend. So far this weekend is going according to our plan, everything is going well. In each session we managed to improve our time until qualifying where we had a few issues, which was to be expected at this stage as we continue to develop the bike. »
Mario Illien: “ I wasn't very happy after the first session. We had a few small problems with one of the motorbikes which seemed to have a small electrical problem. Fortunately, we managed to repair it between sessions. I think we've made reasonable progress, but I'd really like to see the clock go down as there's definitely room for improvement, but overall the team is working well and I think we're off to a good start . We finally finished qualifying without any drama, so I'm happy with that, but I'm frustrated that we couldn't improve the time. It was the first time we had the X3 in qualifying tires, so we learned a lot during qualifying. We also had a problem with the rear shock which we discovered after qualifying, which could explain the loss of performance, but now we know and we can sort it out. Currently we are focusing on the best possible setup for tomorrow's race. »
Eskil Suter : " In all honesty, I'm a little disappointed with the qualifications. We had issues with setting the bike up to qualifying tires and a minor rear shock issue. We were faster in the practice session this morning. The bike seemed a little unbalanced, so now we definitely need to focus on improving the settings and finding the best solution for tomorrow's race. »
After starting the first Ilmor race X3, Gary McCoy progressed steadily by improving his lap times, then overtaking Spaniard José Luis Cardoso and his Ducati. He then slowly approached James Ellison (Yamaha Tech3), before an electrical problem brought him back to the pit lane on lap 18, where the team retrieved data and changed the bike's battery before returning it to the track. During the next lap, the team analyzed the data and identified a faulty wheel speed sensor. Garry McCoy returned to the pit lane to deactivate the sensor and then rejoined the race.
At the end of this, thanks to multiple withdrawals (Nakano, Gibernau, Stoner, Pedrosa, Hayden), Gary McCoy crossed the finish line in 15th position, thus scoring his first point despite being 4 laps behind…
Garry McCoy: I think I could have had a better start, it certainly wasn't my best start, but when we entered the first corner all the guys were bunched up anyway so I was able to get behind them right away. I quickly felt the chattering we had yesterday, but I tried to keep a constant, steady pace. I managed to pick up a bit of speed and even managed to pass Cardoso before having to bring the bike into the pit lane for adjustments. After that, my mission was just to finish the race, so bringing a point to Ilmor is an even bigger bonus. We have work to do before Valencia, but I can't wait to see what we can do there. »
Mario Illien: “First of all, to be honest, I'm glad we're done. It was a shame about the electrical problem, but I'm very happy about this. Garry put in a consistent performance and I would like to congratulate the whole team, who did a fantastic job this weekend. We still have a long way to go, but we are learning all the time. We have some time to test before Valencia, so hopefully we will be in better shape in two weeks! »
Eskil Suter: « It's good to finish, but the race definitely didn't go as planned. The most important thing is that we finished and we got a point. I'm disappointed that we had electrical problems, but we will work hard over the next few days in testing and see what we can do in Valencia. I would like to thank all the crew and Garry for their efforts, they worked really well. »
After the race in Estoril, the X-Men stayed for two days in Estoril to prepare for the race in Valencia despite unfavorable weather.
Mario Illien: « We really enjoyed the race weekend in Estoril and the testing time that followed. We still have a lot of work to do but I believe we are getting there. This is not a quick process and we are in it for the long haul. I can't wait to see what we can do in Valencia this weekend. »
Steve Miller: « I think we are in better shape for Valencia because we worked on the engine and, despite the rain, I think we really benefited from the day and a half of testing at Estoril after the race. I expect us to be relatively faster this weekend as the Valencia circuit might suit the race better.
X3 because the main straight is shorter and we can be more agile on a more twisty track, rather than relying on straight line speed. »
In Valencia, the X3 qualified 20th and last, 3,8 seconds behind pole-sitter Valentino Rossi.
In the race, thanks to the retirements of De Puniet, Hofmann, Cardoso, Vermeulen and Stoner, the little 800cc crossed the flag again in 15th position, this time 7 laps behind due to a passage in the pit lane at 12 laps from the finish due to a rear wheel problem!
We have not found the slightest comment on this race, the journalists present being undoubtedly totally focused on the unfortunate fall of Valentino Rossi and the unexpected title of Nicky Hayden...
The 2007 pre-season begins immediately with two days of testing in Valencia. Gary McCoy is sidelined and attends the first tests of Jeremy McWilliams et Andrew Pitt from the wall.
Faced with competitors who test their 800cc for the moment around 2 seconds slower than the 1000cc, both X3 finally ranks 10th and 11th out of 12.
1. Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda – 1'32.66 / 67t
2. Chris Vermeulen, Rizla Suzuki – 1'32.69 / 88t
3. John Hopkins, Rizla Suzuki – 1'32.94 / 50t
4. Casey Stoner, Ducati Marlboro – 1'32.94 / 68t
5. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro – 1'33.02 / 75t
6. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda – 1'33.03 / 60t
7. Garry McCoy, Ilmor SRT – 1'33.20 / 40t
8. Alex Barros, Pramac D’Antín – 1’33.40 / 60t
9. Valentino Rossi, Camel Yamaha – 1'33.78 / 59t
10. Jeremy McWilliams, Ilmor SRT – 1'35.90 / 31t
11. Andrew Pitt, Ilmor SRT – 1'36.40 / 45t
12. Nobuatsu Aoki, Rizla Suzuki – 1'37.30 / 23t
Jeremy McWilliams: « I forgot how hard it was, I was carefully shaken! When Eskil Suter called me, I had no commitments apart from a test session in December, so I had time to tour with this machine. For now, it's just a matter of giving them a helping hand. Above all, we had to see if the desire to return to MotoGP was there or not. After driving a little, I see that my times are not too far from the other drivers. »
About ten days later, it was in Jerez, still with Jeremy McWilliams et Andrew Pitt (which have not yet been made official for the next season, leading one to believe Chaz Davies that he has a small chance of obtaining a place for 2007), thatIlmor continues its preparation for its first full season.
Chaz Davies: « Eskil Suter from Ilmor phoned me and said they had more or less decided on their drivers, although they weren't sure they could sign them both. Anything can happen though, it's not yet completely ruled out, and it certainly would have been a great opportunity. I've been scanning the Grand Prix scene for about four years, so I'll see when I get an opportunity. »
Jeremy McWilliams et Andrew Pitt had many new features at Jerez, both in terms of chassis and engine. Unfortunately, the first day of MotoGP testing at the Andalusian circuit was marked by unsettled weather, with rain halting all on-track activity at midday, an hour after most riders had started spinning. The next day, the track dried in the afternoon and the serious work could begin.
In terms of times, these tests in Andalusia do not reassure the men of Ilmor, the 800cc of the competition proving to be 5 or 6 seconds faster than the X3â € ¦
1.Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1'39.910
2.Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team 1'40.123
3.Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda 1'40.524
4.Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'40.766
5.John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1'41.049
6.Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1'41.142
7.Colin Edwards USA Camel Yamaha Team 1'41.254
8.Alex Barros BRA Pramac d’Antin MotoGP 1’41.276
9.Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1'41.492
10.Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 1'41.595
11.Tady Okada JPN Honda 1'43.392
12.Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati 1'44.071
13.Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor SRT 1'44.661
14.Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor SRT 1'44.983
To Jeremy McWilliams, the Jerez tests unfortunately ended with a violent fall, which occurred on the last day at the beginning of the afternoon. Victim of fractures to his left femur and right clavicle as well as an injury to his left hand, the Briton was hospitalized and operated on a few days later. The next meeting is set for January 22 in Sepang, Malaysia, after the winter break.
Before that, on December 4, Ilmor announces his team manager: it will be Mike Janes, principal engineer at Cosworth, coming from F1.
Mario Illien: « I'm delighted that Mike has joined us. I think he has a lot of experience to bring and I can't wait to see him in action. I know there have been a lot of rumors surrounding this point but as a team we didn't want to rush into making a quick decision that we might regret later because I'm a big believer in patience and good timing. I want to make sure the internal infrastructure is as good as possible, as it is. »
Mike Janes: « During my 15-year career in motorsport, I have worked alongside some of the most important figures in the industry. I've had my share of challenges, both on and off the track, and I can honestly say I happily take on this role. I've admired Mario's work for years and when the opportunity to work with him on such a bold and exciting project presented itself, I didn't hesitate to take on the challenge. I want to make the most of the rest of the winter season and really prepare us for what will be a very interesting world championship next year. As a sport, I think MotoGP has a lot to offer motorsport fans and I really enjoy the prospect of applying my knowledge from another motorsport discipline to MotoGP. »
A week later, on December 18, Ilmor formalizes its two drivers. After a month of various speculations, mario illien, owner of the Ilmor GP team, announces that Jeremy McWilliams et Andrew Pitt will form the Ilmor 2007 MotoGP team.
Despite his accident in Jerez last November, where he fractured his left femur, Jeremy McWilliams is on the road to recovery: he and the ex-Kawasaki rider
Andrew Pitt spent time in the Northampton workshops, discussing plans for 2007. Both riders are already familiar with the Ilmor X3 SRT having tested it at Valencia and Jerez after the MotoGP World Championship finale. The drivers were officially selected not only for their driving skills, but also for the invaluable experience they will bring to the team.
At 42, the Irishman Jeremy McWilliams is one of the most experienced riders in motorcycle racing and his 30-year-old teammate, the Australian Andrew Pitt, racked up a number of miles with Kawasaki in 2004. At this early stage of the X3's development, the team believes it is essential to have riders who have the opportunity to help perfect the settings of the motorcycle for racing.
Jeremy McWilliams : « I'm very happy to be part of a new team and I'm obviously delighted to be back in MotoGP. Now with Mario and Ilmor the situation is very different, because after spending time with him and the team his passion and dedication is evident, and especially at Northampton you can see that he is not a man accustomed to coming second. He takes racing incredibly seriously, he's a legend, and while I know his high expectations for his work, he's realistic about what we can achieve over the next year. We have a brand new bike and very little time for testing: I think we have a very good product but there is a lot of development to do. It's going to take time and it's going to be difficult but I'm really looking forward to it, because in the end, that's what MotoGP is. It's all about hard work, and if it were easy, everyone would do it. »
Andrew Pitt : « I'm glad everything is confirmed now. I can't wait to get back on the track. I really feel like I haven't been able to reach my potential before and now I'm lucky enough to have another opportunity with a new team on what promises to be a great bike. Just give a quick look at Ilmor Headquarters to see how seriously these guys take things, it dwarfs anything I've ever seen. »
mario illien, team owner
: “As a young team, the main reason for signing McWilliams and Pitt to contracts was to reward their skills in developing the entire motorcycle package, and for making us more competitive as a team. Both drivers are well equipped and have plenty of experience that they can put to good use for the team from the start. I have said since the beginning of this project that we are on an upward slope and I believe that McWilliams and Pitt will really help us start to make our mark on the grid. »
At the end of the winter break, the “Ilmor SRT” team, new name, chooses to run Andrew Pitt in Almeria before flying to Malaysia for a 3-day test to advance the X3 as for its engine electronics and its Michelin tires. Unfortunately, snow appears on the Spanish circuit…
Andrew Pitt: It was an unusual test for me, it was snowing while I was on the track. It was very cold and too dangerous to really push things but we made good progress on the engine side. I felt more in control of the bike, which says a lot, with the tricky conditions. I can't wait to get to Sepang and see what we can do in much more favorable circumstances. »
Mike Janes: « It was undoubtedly a useful exercise. The workload we have had since Jerez has been enormous and we have really had to focus on preparing the new team for this season. It was unfortunate that we couldn't make it to Sepang earlier this month or Philip Island, but it was great to see everyone working together despite the horrible weather conditions. After extensive bench work at Ilmor, I feel we have taken a big step forward in terms of engine calibration because the difference between the bike from Jerez and the bike we have here in Almeria is very significant. Overall, engine response is more predictable and controllable. The critical test for us will be Sepang next week, when we will have something more tangible to compare. The track conditions should be such that they will be more conducive to good track testing, and with Andrew able to push the bike out there we will be able to continue our learning in preparation for the season. »
After the Almeria tests, Ilmor SRT therefore continued its test program in a restricted committee at Sepang in Malaysia. Jeremy McWilliams being absent due to injury until the Qatar test, Andrew Pitt accumulates a total of 166 laps on the 5,54 km Malaysian track. The Sepang test leaves the team with a huge amount of data to analyze before the Qatar test, but also very disappointing times...
1. Colin Edwards USA Yamaha Racing Team 2'00.248s
2. Valentino Rossi ITA Yamaha Racing Team 2'00.793s
3. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 2'02.071s
4. Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 2'02.607s
5. Makoto Tamada JAP Tech 3 Yamaha 2'03.380s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Tech 3 Yamaha 2'04.636s
7. Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor GP 2'07.373s
Andrew Pitt: The last few days have not been easy, we have all worked very long hours and we have not made as much progress as we hoped. I think everyone recognizes the steep learning curve we're currently undertaking, but it's hard not to get frustrated when everyone is working so hard. We are definitely moving forward and I hope to have a few days off before Qatar. It will be nice to share some of the tests with Jeremy there. »
Mike Janes: « The tire tests with Michelin were very positive for us here in Sepang. I am happy with the progress we are making in this area, Michelin has helped us a lot and we are learning a lot about tires. Our new working relationship with Michelin is off to a good start and promises a bright future. We have tried several different tire configurations and can now begin to characterize the sensitivity of the motorcycles to the different tires. Although things are not progressing as quickly as I would like, we have made one or two positive developments with the bike in other areas, after making some big changes to the setup over the last three days. We are realistic about what can be achieved in the time frame we have. However, everyone will be working hard ahead of Qatar to maximize on-site testing opportunities just before the race. Another positive point is that the team works really well together, despite the long hours we have put them through over the last three days! »
A week later, from February 13 to 15, all the teams meet in Qatar for a first official test before the race. Jeremy McWilliams was declared fit to ride and, with crutches, joined Andrew Pitt, in the Ilmor box.
Jeremy McWilliams: “ I had a small operation on my damaged leg on Friday in Ireland: they fiddled with the screws in my knee to make it easier for me to train and ride. I have progressed well over the last few weeks and I feel very strong, I can't wait to get back on the bike. It's been a lot of frustration being stopped since November, I've been in constant contact with the team and Andrew, but nothing compares to getting out and trying the bike. I think we are all realistic and the biggest problem we have at the moment is the lack of track time. The start of the season will be upon us before we know it, so every day counts. We made great progress in Jerez before the accident, so I hope we can continue to move forward and see significant improvement in Qatar and Jerez. »
Mario Illien: « I am happy and surprised at how quickly Jeremy recovered, he has dedicated himself to getting back into shape as quickly but safely as possible. Andrew did a good job without him, but it will be great to have them both on track. I know the team was a little disappointed with the test at Sepang, but everyone works incredibly hard and sometimes you don't progress as quickly as you want. I believe in perseverance and we are at the beginning of a long journey in terms of development, and no one expects miracles overnight: slow and steady progress is our goal. I expect good things from both drivers in Qatar. »
From the start of the test, if the Yamaha 800cc appear particularly well born, it is different for the X3, the convalescent Jeremy McWilliams ending the first day 10 seconds behind Colin EdwardsMore Andrew Pitt doing little better, only managing to surpass Olivier Jacque also injured.
1. Dani Pedrosa, Repsol Honda – 1’55.471
2. John Hopkins, Rizla Suzuki – 1'55.825
3. Valentino Rossi, Yamaha Factory – 1'55.954
4. Alex Hofmann, Pramac d’Antin – 1’56.315
5. Colin Edwards, Yamaha Factory – 1’56.371
6. Randy de Puniet, Kawasaki Racing – 1’56.753
7. Loris Capirossi, Ducati Marlboro – 1'56.807
8. Casey Stoner, Ducati Marlboro – 1'56.834
9. Alex Barros, Pramac d’Antin – 1’56.950
10. Marco Melandri, Honda Gresini – 1'56.980
11. Shinya Nakano, Konica Minolta Honda – 1'56.980
12. Makoto Tamada, Dunlop Yamaha Tech3 – 1’57.232
13. Toni Elias, Honda Gresini – 1'57.246
14. Nicky Hayden, Repsol Honda – 1'57.269
15. Chris Vermeulen, Rizla Suzuki – 1'57.365
16. Kenny Roberts, Team Roberts – 1’57.408
17. Carlos Checa, Honda LCR – 1'57.497
18. Sylvain Guintoli, Dunlop Yamaha Tech3 – 1'58.379
19. Shinichi Ito, Ducati TTT – 1'58.974
20. Andrew Pitt, Ilmor GP – 2'00.455
21. Olivier Jacque, Kawasaki Racing – 2'02.081
22. Jeremy McWilliams, Ilmor GP – 2’02.612
Jeremy McWilliams: “ I don't think we can underestimate the amount of work we still have ahead of us. I'm definitely not where I want to be yet in terms of speed, but we'll have some new engine parts to try at Jerez, so hopefully that will make a difference. One positive note is that I tried a new 16 inch Michelin front tire today and it was great, it really helped in the corners. »
In Jerez, the X3 present have an engine upgrade for 2007. Despite the bad weather on the first day, Andrew Pitt was able to provide semi-positive comments regarding his potential despite his last position in the rankings after the first day.
Andrew Pitt: It was an interesting day for me. I tried a new engine setup, so I would have loved to have had a dry track to test it properly, but even in these bad conditions I can say that the changes made the engine smoother and changed the way the bike turned. It feels different, the throttle feels better and I can't wait to really push it over the next few days. »
After a second day reduced to its bare minimum due to morning fog, the final ranking nevertheless reveals the road still to be covered...
1.Valentino Rossi ITA Factory Yamaha Team (M) 1'38.394
2. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1'38.527
3.Colin Edwards USA Factory Yamaha Team (M) 1'39.300
4.Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team (M) 1'39.556
5.Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1'39.832
6. Casey Stoner AUS Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1'39.873
7.Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1'39.887
8.Chris Vermeulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1'40.043
9.Kenny Roberts USA Team Roberts (M) 1'40.083
10.Carlos Checa SPA Honda LCR (M) 1'40.100
11.Toni Elias SPA Gresini Honda (B) 1'40.202
12.Shinya Nakano JPN Konica Minolta Honda (M) 1'40.242
13.Makoto Tamada JPN Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 1'40.307
14.Marco Melandri ITA Gresini Honda (B) 1'40.396
15.Olivier Jacque FRA Kawasaki Racing Team (B) 1'40.551
16.Alex Hofmann GER Pramac d’Antin MotoGP (B) 1’40.681
17.Alex Barros BRA Pramac d’Antin MotoGP (B) 1’41.038
18.Kousuke Akiyoshi JPN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP (B) 1'41.805
19.Sylvain Guintoli FRA Dunlop Tech 3 Yamaha (D) 1'42.215
20. Vittoriano Guareschi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team (B) 1'43.008
21.Andrew Pitt AUS Ilmor GP (M) 1'43.026
22. Shinichi Ito JPN Ducati TTT (B) 1'43.073
23.Jeremy McWilliams GBR Ilmor GP (M) 1'43.202
Under these conditions, without much surprise and despite all the optimistic declarations, the Qatar Grand Prix testing prove catastrophic for the X-Men, Jeremy McWilliams falling during qualifying on Friday and having to forfeit the rest of the weekend while Andrew Pitt qualifies last, 4,7 seconds behind Valentino Rossi
In the race, the Australian experienced technical problems on the 16th lap and did not reach the finish.
Jeremy McWilliams: “ I'm totally bummed that I couldn't run. We made great progress on the bike during testing in Jerez and here on Friday we had a cruel blow that we absolutely didn't need. I sat watching the race and, based on the times over the last few days, we would have had a good chance of scoring points today. It's very frustrating for me. The decision not to run was very difficult for me, but when a medical professional tells you that you will do more harm than good if you run, you really have no choice. »
Andrew Pitt: « I am really disappointed. We did well on Thursday, things were going well but Friday and today left a lot to be desired. I had a bad start and had problems in the corners which really slowed me down. I then decided that my best plan was to maintain a constant speed and finish the race, but the bike had other ideas. I know the team is working hard to resolve the issues we've encountered over the past few days. »
Mario Illien: « I am very disappointed. The team worked very hard and we made positive changes to the bike. I expected better today after the pace we managed to achieve over the last two days, but we were seconds off our time and even less. We must now focus on identifying the weak areas where we have drifted and make serious improvements before Jerez. »
Alas, the Ilmor team will never reach the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez, Mario Ilmor announcing on March 15 that the team will take a temporary break from MotoGP due to funding issues: “ We discussed the situation in detail internally and obviously this was an extremely difficult decision for us to make. However, once we looked at all the options, we decided that the best course of action for the project as a whole would be to put the "racing" side of things on hold and continue developing. We are withdrawing due to lack of funding. A lot of people supported us, but no one gave financial support. I would like to thank Dorna, IRTA, FIM and our technical and supplier partners for their continued support and patience during this time. My heart is still very much in the team and we have received fantastic support from the public and media with great coverage around the world. I would also like to say how extremely proud I am of what we have managed to achieve in a short time, as we have a great group of people who have worked incredibly hard over the last few months. Both drivers, Jeremy McWilliams and Andrew Pitt did their best during a difficult development period, and I couldn't have asked for more than that. We will have important meetings and discussions over the coming weeks that will help us establish the future of the project and the team: I am committed to exploring all opportunities available to us and I hope that it there will be a positive outcome. We will continue to test and develop the bike, then we will make a judgment on a possible return at a later date. »
The team will never return to the Grand Prix.
In the opinion of people who worked closely with them, the Ilmors mainly suffered from their TAG McLaren electronics, derived from F1 and incapable of smoothly managing the inclination of the motorcycles. THE X3 were born brutal and unreliable, and they remained so throughout their very brief career. This is also explained by the initial project of Mario Ilmor to supply its engine to manufacturers, a successful strategy in F1 and IndyCar, but which interested no one in motorcycling. Sponsors would doubtless have allowed the project to be extended over time, if indeed we had not persisted in wanting to use F1 technology to manage the engine instead of adopting, for example, a Magneti Marelli electronics like Kawasaki very quickly realized…
“We will not make the same mistake as Cosworth with Aprilia. We know what it takes to build a motorcycle engine: it's all about getting the power delivered and the power down", had declared Mario Illien at the start of the project. What followed showed that it was not so easy and, once again, the world of F1 left MotoGP through the back door...
The chassis and aesthetics of the X3 will, however, serve as a basis for Eskil Suter to make your MMX 500cc V4 2-stroke…
Below is one of the Ilmors now preserved, in Switzerland…
Photo credits: MotoGP.com, Crash.net, Christian Bourget, Yushi Kobayashi, etc.
