During the tests in Buriram, where no one knew the circuit, the Suzuki Ecstar team explains to us how they approached this challenge, whether at the level of the drivers and technicians, but also in much more unexpected areas...
The Chang International Circuit is the newest newcomer to the MotoGP World Championship, and the track is 4,5 km long with 12 turns. Designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, the circuit is located approximately 410 km northeast of Bangkok, the country's capital, and is completely new to the MotoGP category. For this reason, the event from February 16 to 18 was the first opportunity for the team to familiarize themselves with the track and prepare for the race which will take place here on October 7.
Andrea Iannone is an instinctive driver and his words reflect his attitude….
“I had no idea what to expect at the Chang International Circuit, I watched a few videos of the Superbike race to get a first idea of the layout, but the only real way to know it is This is riding MotoGP, so I used the first few laps to watch and understand.
The engineers worked on paper and this approach is for sure useful for their work, but for me it was more about touching the track with my own hands and body. The goal of this first test was basically to understand and learn, and that's what I did. The only thing you could call preparation is physical training: the weather there is hot and humid, comparable to Malaysia, if not worse, so being in good physical shape was crucial for effective piloting, and I was thus able to concentrate on the technical aspects, rather than struggling with the driving conditions. »
On the other side of the garage, rationality was the keystone ofAlex Rins: “As MotoGP riders we want to try to be at our best from the start, so I was looking forward to seeing the track with my own eyes. When I was at home I tried to study a little with videos and technical data, but immediately when I arrived at Chang International Circuit I did a few laps with the scooter to check if my feelings were correct. It's a bit like a mix between the straight lines of Austria and the technical parts of Argentina. I really enjoyed riding there for the first time with the GSX-RR, it was almost like taking the first steps on the moon. »
“The first and most important thing on a circuit like Chang International Circuit is the driver”, Explain Mark Rigamonti, team leader of Andrea Iannone, “because he must learn to know the route and understand how to drive it. The speed of adaptation depends on the skills of the rider, but the first day was spent refining the trajectories between the turns and finding the most efficient way to be fast based on the characteristics of the machine with the layout. After that we were able to start working on improving the settings and the configuration of the bike. Basically the test was not a development test like in Sepang, for example, because the priority in Thailand was to know the track and do the necessary things to prepare for the race. I would say that if in Sepang the mix between testing a new bike and finalizing a race setup was 70% versus 30%, in Buriram it was the opposite: we focused 70% of our time with basic setups for improve the pilot's sensations and only 30% with new parts.
Getting to a new trail requires efficiency from the start, and that means having a basic setup from which to start. The first step is the gear ratio, as explained José Manuel Cazeaux, team leader of Álex Rins: “The starting point was to determine the gear ratio for sixth gear, to exploit the full potential of the straight. Combined with the primary gear, it cannot be too short, otherwise the rider will reach the rev limiter too early and lose top speed, nor too long, otherwise the engine will not be able to deploy its full power. To do this, we did a mathematical calculation combining the information we initially had, such as straight line length, data from the Superbike teams that were already present, and other parameters. After determining the sixth gear, we then had other formulas that helped us define the other gears, depending on the layout of the circuit, such as the radius of the turns. Starting with the most correct gear ratio is important because changing the gearbox takes time. This is the reason why, for example, in the first rounds, if it is not the first day, we usually do gearbox comparisons until we have found the best compromise. Obtaining the best compromise also takes into account the adaptation of the driver, as different trajectories and riding styles on the track can have an influence on the appreciation of shorter or longer speeds. »
Work has already started at home for the electronic engineers, who are in charge of the electronic maps for the GSX-RR. “We watched videos on YouTube and used Google Maps and Google Earth to get an idea of the layout and get basic information such as the length of the different straights, the radius of the turns, the inclination, the elevation” Explain Claudio Rainato, electronics engineer of Andrea Iannone. “This allowed us to have a first idea of the possible basic settings of the electronics. Then, as soon as we arrived, we went to the track for a walk to note two important aspects: visual recognition which, according to our experience, allows us to better understand the characteristics of the circuit, and instrumental acquisition with things technologies such as GPS and electronic level. After we collected this information, we put it into our computers and it was then matched with the data acquisition that arrived from the bikes after their first rides on the first day. After data matching, we had a clearer idea of the circuit layout and started working on it with our software. »
Another aspect of the electronic configuration for the first releases is the choice of mapping, as explained Yuta Shimabukuro, Electronics Engineer of Álex Rins: “As we didn't know the track perfectly, we had to learn what it was like as quickly as possible. The electronics in MotoGP are very sophisticated and can manage many parameters meter by meter each lap, but this only works if you have a very accurate model of the track. The driver used the first few outputs only to acquire data, so we could start with a base setting derived from an average. In these first few rounds, we equipped the machine with mapping that is sort of comparable to a sort of “stock motorcycle philosophy”: it has to be good enough for anything. Then, as we received more and more information, we started to act in 'MotoGP' mode and customize the mapping with sector by sector adjustments. »
The riders and team have to "live" on the circuit for 5 full days of work, which means they need facilities in perfect working order, as well as a nice reception area where they can eat and rest.
“When we are so far from home, my approach is to cook local dishes so that my teammates will be surprised! But also to include European dishes in the menu, for all those who love the taste of home”. Michele Quarenghi, the cook of the Suzuki Ecstar team, is a very experienced chef in the paddock, and really takes care of the people in the team. “The most difficult part when we are in a new location is finding the best food supplier who can assure us good quality and healthy food. When in Europe we have our own receiving unit, most of the food is shipped by trusted suppliers. My many years of experience also allowed me to learn the best places to shop near each circuit, but this was completely new. Going exploring is a good thing, but you also need to make sure that everyone finds something they like. »
“Getting to Buriram is not easy and it is very far from Europe! » It's the first thought of Mitia Dotta, Team Logistics Manager, who had to organize the trip for around forty people. “When you arrive at Bangkok airport, you're not there yet, there's still an hour and a flight or 5 hours drive to Buriram. It's quite a long trip for all the European staff, I would say it's comparable to Argentina. »
Roberto Brivio, Operation Manager, logistics manager of the team, explains: “The facilities were much better than expected; before arriving we had no idea what we were going to find apart from some information from the Superbike teams, so we had to configure the box and the offices based only on the paper plans, but the organization of the circuit was good and we found facilities comparable to those on European tours”. As logistics manager, he had to work all winter to organize the shipment of all the necessary equipment, and is responsible for setting up all the team's facilities in the paddock.
