Hamamatsu's decision was like a tsunami for MotoGP Suzuki Ecstar team officials informed during the Spanish Grand Prix, and perhaps even the riders were not informed. But on Monday, we had to get back to work for an official MotoGP test day at the Jerez–Ángel Nieto circuit, ahead of a season that has now lost much of its flavor for the men in blue.
Joan mir et Alex Rins therefore finished the Jerez test in sixth and eighth position respectively, and both said they found improvements.
Although there were no new items to try, the team made good use of the time by working on electronic settings and exploring new configuration options. A change in weather conditions compared to yesterday, and in particular lower temperatures, meant that direct comparisons between the race and the test were not revealing.
Joan mir prioritized cornering, geometry and settings that had not yet been tested, and he felt an improvement before Le Mans. He completed a total of 66 laps.
Alex Rins said he had regained the sensations he had not had during the Spanish GP, and he then focused on testing a swingarm, as well as some electronic adjustments. He completed 67 laps and ended the day in good spirits.
Joan mir : " Today we were hoping to work on the feeling of the front, because that's something I suffered from in the heat yesterday, but we couldn't really do that because the conditions were completely different today. Today: it was colder and very windy. Finding ways to cool the tire would have been nice, but today the tire stayed cold on its own! So instead we worked on a few tuning options that we haven't had a chance to try yet this season. I can feel an improvement in the corners, and the next priority is to improve the grip. A day of testing is always useful, and I feel that today's results could help us for Le Mans in two weeks. »
Alex Rins : " Today was pretty good, we did a little work to try to get back the sensations that I didn't have yesterday. Luckily I felt an improvement, so I think we found the problem and that was a nice boost. Then, since we didn't have anything major to try, we just worked on the settings, although I also tried a swingarm that I had already tested earlier in the year, and some electronic settings. But the general feeling after this day of testing is that we have made some improvements, which is always the goal. »
Livio Suppo, Racing Consultant, Team Manager: “This is the first test I've done with the team, as I wasn't with them during the winter tests, so it was good to spend the day with everyone and see how well they all work. Both riders found improvements that they are happy with, but usually it's good to make comparisons during the test, which wasn't easy today because the conditions were much colder, so, radically different from those of yesterday's race. But now we are looking forward to Le Mans, where we want to put our findings into practice. Our bike already has a good base, all that remains is to refine it as we progress through the season. »
Ranking credit: MotoGP.com
