Before taking advantage of his winter break, Pit Beirer, formerly the sporting director of KTM, returned to the test day in Valencia which opened the 2023 off-season. An important moment, because in today's MotoGP which reduced to a minimum the opportunities to try the machines with the regular pilots, the first impression of the latter, when they arrive from other horizons, is more than revealing about what comes next... The man from Mattighofen thus still has head one day in 2018 on the Ricardo Tormo track with a Frenchman on the RC16… Fortunately, none of that happened in 2022.
The allusion thus brings to mind the installation of Johann zarco in KTM, with first sensations that were complicated to say the least which then only corroded relationships which the French pilot ended prematurely. We know the story, and the rest, but in Mattighofen, it is still remembered, as well as Pit Beer points out when commenting on the first day of testing in Valencia: “ we had difficult days in Valencia when drivers came from elsewhere ».
The sports man KTM therefore awaited this meeting on the Ricardo Tormo track with a certain anxiety, because two drivers were going to try their hand at the RC16: Pol Espargaro, for a reunion after two years spent at Honda, and above all Jack Miller, for whom the Austrian opus was going to be a real discovery when he got off the Ducati, which had become the benchmark of the plateau.
The Australian was the most scrutinized in this respect: “ Jack Miller comes from the best bike in the class » thus recognizes Pit Beirer on motorsport total. " Everyone was really excited. We're not far from the best but what was going to happen with Jack on our bike? Says Beirer. JackAss did a total of 70 laps in Valencia, enough to form a first opinion as follows… “ Of course he doesn't say everything is better than the bike he had »Says Beirer. " Of course it's not possible, we'd be lying to ourselves. But it was fine for us, that's how we wanted to start ».
Pit Beirer: “ it's up to the pilots now to decide«
He specifies : " he was able to ride the bike intelligently and he didn't have to force it. We adjusted the position and he was able to ride at a high level. It was a very important discovery. He also just relaxed because he knew we could do something with it ". And he ends: “ the energy that a Jack and a Brad can bring to the club, it was a joy to see. It was a really cool atmosphere ».
Apparently, at KTM, the theme of good humor and joy of living will be essential in 2023… And on this level, Pol Espargaro was not left by reconnecting not only with the RC16 but also Tech3 : “ we saw how happy Pol was to jump on the bike with his former chief mechanic by his side. You saw the pictures of how happy he was on the bike. There were things at Honda that were difficult for him to interpret. He didn't know if he would regain the feeling he was missing. He was immediately happy. The feeling he needed was there " welcomes Pit Beirer.
He ends with the importance of the issue: “ there's a lot of material there. There is a lot of money in the project. You can't change much for the new season. It is now up to the pilots to decide. It's a two-year commitment. It's a new motorcycle. We are not allowed to test with regular drivers. The test team is developing the bike with Dani Pedrosa. It is then handed over to the starting drivers. The statements that are then made are quite an experience. This Tuesday in Valencia was full of emotions. The day went really well. We are very happy with how it went ».
