The Leopard's boys started their season in Montmelo!

The 2016 season is about to start and the Leopard Racing team didn't want to waste any time. He therefore organized a two-day private test on the Montmelo circuit (Barcelona) to run all his Moto3 riders, Fabio Quartararo, Joan Mir and Andrea Locatelli, in the company of his brand new Moto2 team which lines up Danny Kent and Miguel Oliveira.

This was an important session for the entire Moto3 world champion team since it will defend its title with a new motorcycle, the KTM RC 250 GP 2016. Technicians and riders therefore took charge of the Austrian machine and started to work together so that osmosis works as best as possible within the Luxembourg team.

The objective of this first outing of 2016 was also to establish good basic settings for the start of the season.

Fabio Quartararo: “Yesterday was the first time I rode the KTM: everything went well, but the track conditions and a strong wind didn't allow me to let go as much as possible. I adapted quickly, taking advantage of every moment to learn something more from this bike, although the conditions were not ideal. We are waiting for the other test days to improve and increase our confidence. The feeling with the engineers and mechanics is important. During these two days we made several configurations, but I think we can improve a lot in Valencia. »

Joan Mir: “In reality, the conditions slowed us down: the track was very dirty and a strong wind prevented us from pushing hard. We tried different solutions; I think we already have a good setup for the next test, Thursday in Valencia. I have already noticed a lot of improvements compared to yesterday: particularly on the front axle, on entry and in turns. We must continue in this direction. »

Andrea Locatelli: “I can only say it was a tough session. I fell very early when the footrest broke, so it took me a while to adjust to the situation. Unfortunately, I hit my injured foot during this incident, which was quite painful. After that it was very difficult to get back into rhythm and as I was also very cold throughout the practice, I didn't push it any further and cautiously returned home. »

 

In Moto2, the Leopard Racing team chose Kalex chassis to enter the intermediate category, with a duo composed of the reigning Moto3 World Champion, Danny Kent, as well as Miguel Oliveira, his challenger.

The two young riders, now teammates, were indeed rivals at the end of last season, as they vied for the title of Moto3 World Champion until the last race. For the British driver, it is a return to a category he already knows, while the first Portuguese Grand Prix winner is completely making his debut there.

This completely new project therefore constitutes a challenge that the technical team is ready to take on with the experience and professionalism for which it is known.

Even if this handling and the driving conditions did not lend themselves to the search for pure performance, these two days went well and the drivers left impatient to ride again, as soon as possible.

Miguel Oliveira: “We focused on my riding style, to try to better understand the reactions of the bike to the changes we proposed. We are working on entering and exiting curves, where Moto2 changes a lot, compared to Moto3: it's heavier on the brakes and more difficult to steer. We just have to travel a lot of miles to gather information. But ultimately, it's more fun; this bike is faster, has more acceleration, moves more, but slides really nice out of corners. »

Danny Kent: “It was good to get back in the saddle after the two months of December and January during which we couldn't ride. This first step is important because it is a completely new experience, both for the team and for the bike. More than on the times, we focused on the feeling of the bike and its settings. These two days were positive, I gradually found my rhythm, but it's a shame that the conditions were so bad, with a dirty track yesterday and a strong wind today. We will try to improve in the next test. »

As a reminder, the Moto2 team had already carried out tests last November in Jerez and will continue their tests next Thursday in Valencia