Test rider Bradl is causing debate in a MotoGP paddock which will be back in action tomorrow, Friday, on the Losail track which will open the off-season. Then it will be the Qatar Grand Prix and yet another, for almost a month of presence near Doha. Significant track time, and which will be even more so for Honda test driver Stefan Bradl. The latter will ride every day of the weapons vigil, then, if Marc Marquez does not return, during the first two races of the calendar. He has already driven at Jerez, and he has done 12 of the 14 2020 Grands Prix. For the competition, that is starting to mean a lot...
Stefan bradl will be watched in particular when tomorrow, Friday, the first MotoGP will take to the track at Qatar. A day which will be reserved for test drivers and beginners in the category. Then the tests will follow, with everyone, before launching into a competition during which we will find ourselves among regular entrants. But with the possibility of always seeing Bradl on the handlebars of the Honda.
The German replaces Marc Marquez convalescent since Brno 2020, which gives him full-time pilot status. For competition, this is a diversion, a distortion of competition and requires corrective actions to prevent this situation from continuing. The atmosphere is tense on the subject. The proof with Pete Beirer, sports director of KTM which explains the situation as follows: “ HRC had the opportunity to test as only a team benefiting from concession points in the regulations could have done. It was unfair for the other manufacturers ". A frustration exposed on Speedweek.
« We will discuss whether in the future a test pilot should be allowed to act as a substitute a maximum of three or four times a year. Our pressure is not against Stefan, it's about equal opportunities » said the executive KTM who has the support of Johan Stigefelt from home Petronas Yamaha : " Stefan is an excellent test driver and last season he competed in several races, thanks to which he certainly grew as he proved to be competitive ", said Stigefelt during the Zoom conference after the presentation of the 2021 team. During the winter it was driven for several days and we will talk about it in Qatar ».
Bradl: Honda makes no secret of the fact that it is very useful
Faced with the front of the protest which is taking place, Honda should keep a low profile. But it's quite the opposite, as if we wanted to annoy or even exceed in order to better play on the nerves of our opponents. On the work of Stefan bradl en lieu and in place of Marc Marquez, the chief mechanic of the eight-time World Champion comments: “ it doesn't make much difference to us. We are preparing for the start of the season as usual and let's work with Stefan the same way we would work with Marvs. We will prepare everything so that we are ready as soon as Marc returns ».
Santi Hernandez add in a Repsol interview: " we are happy to have Stefan on board as he did a fantastic job last year. We will now try with Stefan to understand our new developments for the new season and to prepare everything as best as possible for the moment when Marc returns ". Enough to make your teeth cringe. The idea of competition would be to limit tester commitment to a certain maximum number of races during a season. To be continued …
