During our live articles during the MotoGP tests in Jerez we were able to discover some new features from all the manufacturers, but of course there were more, and KTM is no exception to this rule. Mattighofen, or more precisely Munderfing, where the competition department of the Austrian manufacturer is located, works in almost all areas, in the short and medium term: Aerodynamics, geometry, suspensions, engine parts, ride height and clutch were the subjects study of KTM during these tests in Andalusia…
The work having been distributed between the different pilots in orange and red, Francesco Guidotti, who replaces Mike Leitner as head of sports management for the official KTM MotoGP team since 2022, thus discusses some areas of work of these trials in Spain : “With our racing drivers, we worked on short-term competitiveness, but Pol, and Dani last weekend, worked on the medium term. We had some details of the engine to test, we are a little late with the tests of the new fairing which we would like to present soon: there was a drawback with the assembly, we used it little. What are we looking for with the new fairing? More contact when braking and this limits us as little as possible in top speed. »
A priori, this fairing “only” has new sides, but we know to what extent these are now important for generating ground effect, and therefore support, in fast curves. Brad Binder et Peter Acosta tried it and, indeed, the assembly was not finalized, but after all, that's what the tests are for...
Despite this single photo of the RC16 dressed in this way, we can clearly see in which direction the aerodynamic tests are going: no more fairings with side fins simply added to a traditional shape, no more of the first integration tests which appeared at the Qatar tests and now used in racing...
…and hello to a total integration of both the side fins and the longitudinal support surfaces, while the side Downwash Ducts seem to have at least temporarily disappeared or perhaps to have been integrated into the fairing.
We even come to wonder if we are not already working for 2027, where the template which limits the dimensions of the aerodynamic appendages should be greatly reduced...
Regarding the Downwash Ducts, we can clearly see in the following photo (Dani Pedrosa during the GP) that there are now three of them in the current version (2 lateral plus one central) as we noticed during our last technical point after Portugal. It's blowing hard under the bike at KTM!
On the new fairing, the two test pilots of the day were quite discreet but rather positive.
Brad Binder : “Today was pretty good. We had a few aero packages to test to gather information and continue moving the project forward. We also changed the rear shock settings, which allowed the bike to be more stable, which is always nice, especially on a circuit like this, with the changes of direction. We focused on things we can use soon. With aerodynamics you can win in some areas and lose in others, so it's important to take the feedback and data and work on the advantages. Now we can get out of here and set things up. »
The South African also had a new WP fork which gives him a better feeling.
Peter Acosta : “We did a lot of laps, tried a lot of things, including a new fairing and some details in the settings. In MotoGP, with very small changes you can gain a few tenths, so every improvement is positive. It was a good day. Our bike is tricky in some areas and on the fast tracks, and we are really improving. We had a lot of grip here, but the times were slower than on Friday. The weather changed a bit today, so it was tricky, but anyway, everything is fine. We changed parts, but didn't have time to make many adjustments. It was also important to do more laps here in Jerez, because we struggled a little more in certain areas this weekend, and today we were able to resolve the small problems we had. The new fairing is very positive. Anyway, we end this day with a lot of positives, and we are ready for the next round at Le Mans. »
The Red Bull GASGAS Tech3 driver would also have had a new air intake, but we have neither photo nor even (yet) confirmation. Perhaps the one used by Dani Pedrosa in the race weekend which, like its front mudguard equipped with fins, is not yet unanimous among the other drivers (nor the spectators).
Jack Miller has focused on the vibration issues that can arise during a race weekend, but progress appears limited.
Jack Miller : “We worked a lot today. We played a lot with the settings of the bike. We still have to deal with the problem of vibration when the track has a lot of grip and when you make a lot of changes, because that causes a lot of other effects, so we had to find a happy medium, and I think we did some progress. »
The Australian also had a new, more ergonomic Ride Height Device control.
Augusto Fernandez tried the front wing of Dani Pedrosa but suffered a late crash. The situation is difficult to live with for the rookie's teammate Pedro Acosta, but he is heading to Le Mans where he shone last year…
Augusto Fernandez: “Difficult day of testing, but very important for us. We are always looking for a setup that will help us improve our overall feel, be faster and more competitive. I'm not fast enough yet, but I'm not unhappy with our day. We've been able to narrow down our options, we've pointed out the things that aren't working, and that's a positive for us because it's going to guide us toward a solution that will work, we're getting closer to our goal, and that's it. That's what helps me stay motivated. The process is slow, we're going through a tough time right now, but we're not giving up. I would like to apologize to my team for the late drop today and thank them for their work. We will rest a little and prepare for Le Mans, a circuit that I really like and which was a good GP for us last season. »
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Espargaro Pol works for the medium term and has not really communicated.
Conversely, the technical director Sebastian Risse revealed that certain “engine parts”, apart from the possibility of homologation, were also on the agenda. We anticipate…
“We focused a lot on the updates we can still make this year, which means the imminent update of the aerodynamics, but also other elements like electronics, engine parts and even more performance and also the suspension. We shared the test results with the group, so that when we found something positive, we could pass it on to others to confirm. This means we have an overview of element performance for all drivers and we are confident this will have an effect on future races. »
In summary, at KTM we work in all areas and on all deadlines, at least already for 2025 with regard to the engine: being classified B in the concession system, the Austrian manufacturer does not benefit from free engine development , unlike Yamaha and Honda.
Credit classification and photos: MotoGP.com and Michelin
