by Motoracing, editorial, January 30, 2018, 14:22 p.m.
Ducati test rider and coach of Jorge Lorenzo reveals the secrets of the best riders. Collected from the side of the track
Michele Pirro, Ducati test rider and coach of Jorge Lorenzo, went to the Sepang track to tell the readers of La Gazzetta on Tuesday January 30 how the champions ride. Here are the impressions of the multiple Italian champion.
TYPOLOGY – “Sepang is particular with very strong braking, like in curves 1, 4, 9, 14 and 15, but where you need a motorcycle that allows you to pass well in high speed curves and where you you need the right “push” in acceleration, like at the exit of curves 4 and 9”.
CURVES 1-2 “Here the important curve is 2, the difference is made by taking the rope as tight as possible, passing the 4th and launching yourself into the descent towards turn 3. If you can gain half a tenth at the exit of 1, and you miss 2, you can easily lose two. Rossi is clean and tight, prepares well in 1 and comes out of 2 quickly, his driving fluid. Like him, Pedrosa is soft and flowing, his change of direction is gentle. Unlike Iannone, who is very aggressive in the exit of the 1 and breaks the movement: he does not have confidence in the insertion of the Suzuki, as if he was afraid of losing it. His teammate Rins, although a little wider, seems faster than him. Miller also violates the Ducati, something profitable over a few laps, but not over the race distance. Conversely, Zarco is very pleasant to see, he connects the curves well, just like Morbidelli who, even if he is starting, has the right lines. It's soft, I like it a lot. Marquez will have done 100 meters of sliding at the exit, will be a little dirty at the entry, but he never loses fluidity. Also because Honda found a handling that did not belong to it. Dovizioso is very efficient, impresses with his cleanliness, Lorenzo is still a little stiff in the change of direction.”
CURVES 4 and 5 – “Another important exit, a climb to the right. Here, what matters most is how the riders use the gearbox, the differences in the behavior of the bikes, whether they become destabilized, and the reaction of the tires. The Ducati is the one that climbs the most in fits and starts, it undergoes the implementation of the engine braking on the throttle control, the Suzuki almost does not do this. The Ktm's ascent is magnificent, the Aprilia doesn't seem in great shape. On exit, however, it is important that the bike accelerates without getting up too much or pumping, between 4 and 5 there is a quick change of direction in which you help turn by forcing with the throttle. Iannone loses grip on the exit and the bike is stopped, Viñales comes out better. Petrucci managed to smooth out the ride. All motorcycles sway a little, coming out of a slow curve, and you have to use your body to prepare for the change of direction. If we see him less with someone, it's because he is more coordinated: like Valentino, he rides so harmoniously that he does not damage the bike.
CURVES 9 and 15 – “A long, fast passage then here comes turn 9, the slowest at Sepang. It's demanding, a tight left. This is the only point where you use 1st. Looking at Lorenzo here you can see how he has a lot more confidence, now he has the bike almost completely in his hands. At the end of the long straight, here is the hairpin bend which leads to the finish line. This is a fairly treacherous curve, with an opposite inclination, where if you pick up too early you widen and lose time. We need a compromise between accelerating, moving and positioning your body well. The master is Pedrosa, sublime. You have to take the rope as late as possible, Viñales and Valentino take it very round, Dovi breaks it in two, Marquez is on a middle trajectory, he takes the rope less but remains very clean.”
CONCLUSION – “In the end, we always see the difference between those who have been there for many years and those who do not have much experience: to the eye it may seem more efficient, those who move a lot and attack with the bike, but in the end, the clock always proves the others right, because riding in a fluid way gives you consistency which makes the difference.”
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