It’s a Pol Espargaro ecstatic who is done with his second day in Jerez. This Saturday of the Spanish Grand Prix is enough to make him red with pleasure, just like the rest of his team in orange. The KTM has indeed had its best day since it decided to compete in MotoGP. Overall, a fifteenth place for the Spaniard followed by his teammate Bradley Smith, no less deserving, just 0.039s behind. The new engine is apparently a success. But the best would be yet to come…
Before starting hostilities in Jerez, KTM took a leap into the unknown by sending an engine " big Bang » barely finished. A bet that seems to have been won given the qualifying results. Never has an RC16 driven so hard. A progression that looks like a metamorphosis: “ we are 0.2s behind Folger who is eighth and 0.4s behind Lorenzo on the official Ducati. All this despite it being only our fourth race. We can't ask for more. I am delighted » explains a Pol Espargaro dithyrambic.
« We were ninth during FP4, a session which for me is the most important for the race. I did my laps behind Vale but my times were more or less the same when riding alone. Maybe only three tenths worse. It's a daydream if you remember where we were during the last meeting. It's simply incredible! »
The enthusiasm is infectious. And Aleix’s younger brother doesn’t let go: “ the main difference is corner exit. The bike now has good traction, the engine allows the tire to do its job, the bike moves less, everything is smoother. We can follow the others ».
« Of course, we are still missing something. But I don't dare imagine what will happen when we have the new chassis that will arrive... especially if it brings the same progress as the engine. If so, it will be crazy! »
And this madness could well be seen from the start this Sunday in Jerez… “ I assure you that during the start tests, I have never achieved such a good takeoff on a MotoGP as the one I did yesterday Friday. I left so quickly! Believe me ! Even with the Yamaha, it was never this effective. So we can do something at the start. We'll see what happens ". Here is the competition warned…
#SpanishGP J.2: MotoGP Chronos
1. Dani Pedrosa ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V)
1m 38.249s [Lap 6/7] 291km/h (Top Speed)
2. Marc Marquez ESP Repsol Honda Team (RC213V) 1m 38.298s +0.049s [8/8] 291km/h
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR LCR Honda (RC213V) 1m 38.453s +0.204s [6/7] 291km/h
4. Maverick Vinales ESP Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 38.677s +0.428s [3/7] 292km/h
5. Andrea Iannone ITA Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 38.744s +0.495s [3/8] 291km/h
6. Johann zarco ENG Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 38.861s +0.612s [6/8] 291km/h
7. Valentino Rossi ITA Movistar Yamaha MotoGP (YZR-M1) 1m 38.908s +0.659s [6/7] 290km/h
8. Jorge Lorenzo ESP Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17)
1m 38.910s +0.661s [6/8] 293km/h
9. Jonas Folger GER Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (YZR-M1)*
1m 39.108s +0.859s [8/8] 291km/h
10. Jack Miller AUS Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 39.125s +0.876s [3/8] 290km/h
11. Scott Redding GBR Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 39.152s +0.903s [5/8] 292km/h
12. Alex Espargaro ESP Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP) 1m 39.400s +1.151s [2/5] 288km/h
13. Danilo Petrucci ITA Octo Pramac Racing (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 39.090s 290km/h
14. Andrea Dovizioso ITA Ducati Team (Desmosedici GP17) 1m 39.255s 294km/h
15. Pol Espargaro ESP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 39.282s 294km/h
16. Bradley Smith GBR Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (RC16) 1m 39.321s 291km/h
17. Alvaro Bautista ESP Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 39.462s 291km/h
18. Tito Rabat ESP Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS (RC213V) 1m 39.564s 292km/h
19. Karel Abraham CZE Pull&Bear Aspar Team (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 39.678s 294km/h
20. Loris Baz FRA Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP15) 1m 39.824s 287km/h
21. Hector Barbera ESP Reale Avintia Racing (Desmosedici GP16) 1m 39.906s 293km/h
22. Sam Lowes GBR Factory Aprilia Gresini (RS-GP)*
1m 40.213s 287km/h
23. Takuya Tsuda JPN Team Suzuki Ecstar (GSX-RR)
1m 40.386s 287km/h
