At KTM, we are making progress, but there is still much to do. However, the Austrian brand still arouses high expectations. These make us forget the simple fact of an RC16 project which is only in its second season. A situation that the sports boss Pit Beirer decided to call back, while clarifying certain things…
The pit man for the Mattighofen brand has decided to realign the focus on the MotoGP adventure. After two years, the RC16 can boast of having been able to play in the top 10 in its first campaign and of having finished its second with a podium. But, at the same time, the last tests of the 2019 offseason revealed a Johann zarco newly recruited in difficulty over the distance of a Grand Prix, a Olive tree hired by a Tech3 team dubbed a new satellite team complaining about the hardness of the front fork, and a trackside observer Luca Cadalora concerned about the balance of the Austrian machine…
In fact, there is still more to do. What does not deny Pit Beirer : " yes, it is true that we still have problems, particularly on certain circuits. But we never promised anyone that we would have solved everything in just two years. We are not yet the manufacturer that sets the tone in MotoGP. We can't sit back and cross our arms and tell ourselves that we have the best bike for all the tracks. But we are not that far away ».
He specifies on speedweek : " we are quite satisfied. You can criticize all you want, but in two years and after 39 Grands Prix, we have achieved a podium. It was during the last Grand Prix of 2018. We can devalue this performance given the circumstances, but I didn't even notice that it was raining. However, you have to be able to place two riders in the top 8 in such conditions in a MotoGP race. ».
« When you are able to perform like this on a wet track, it's not just because you have a bike that has good mechanics. But it's also thanks to your electronics, otherwise the bike would go out at every turn. So I say our base is good ».
He finishes : " Since the Sachsenring we haven't been able to test as much as we would have liked. Kallio and Espargaró were injured. We almost lost six important months for development and it's falling on us now. This lack always follows us. That’s why we’re touring so much now. We will continue like this until we can say that we are competitive everywhere and in all weathers. This is clearly our objective ».
It will be recalled that KTM recruited Dani Pedrosa as a test pilot alongside Mika Kallio. The three-time World Champion took his first laps on the RC16 in Jerez on December 18 and 19. But no one can say a word about it since the Spaniard is still under Honda contract until the end of this year…
