Just three days after a two-day test session in Portimão last week, Team HRC returned to the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain for the latest in a series of pre-season tests with the drivers Superbike factory Iker Lecuona and Xavi Virgo.
On the track Tuesday and Wednesday (although Xavi Virgo only rode two half days), the team was fortunate to be able to work in warm and sunny conditions, picking up where they left off in Portugal and continuing to focus on the setup of their CBR1000RRs- R Fireblade..
First day, lecuona et Virgin focused on their basic settings, trying different adjustments that also related to the bike's geometry and electronics, while on the second day the riders worked with their technicians to fine-tune their bike's settings.
Considering that the team visited the Jerez circuit a month ago, both drivers are satisfied with the progress they have already made since then. With the testing sessions completed, Team HRC will use the data collected this week and continue its preparation for the opening round of the 2022 Superbike World Championship, which will take place on the weekend of April 8-10 at Motorland Aragon.
Xavi Verge : " I'm happy because we made good progress throughout this test and compared to last week's session. To be honest, having decided to test over just two afternoons, I started both days in the hottest conditions and struggled at first. We worked on some new settings, and it took a little time to adjust to the different sensations. But we worked very well with the electronics, adjusting and tweaking the settings until we found the right direction and I could get my confidence back. We had some good long runs, with a much better pace than the last time we were here. I also did a few test starts, and we took a step forward there too. The work was intense, but I was able to do a lot of laps without any problems or delays, which allowed us to collect a lot of data. Now we need to analyze everything for the next test »
Iker Lecuona : " We are quite satisfied with the work we did over these two days. We were very lucky with the weather again, with similar conditions to our previous test here a month ago, although it was a bit warmer this time. We got off to a good start in the session, and I was able to get into the rhythm from the first run. From there we continued to try many different elements and settings, some of which worked well while others still need improvement, but that's normal at this point. We worked hard on the electronics, engine brake settings and many other aspects of the bike, trying to find a steady rhythm. The second day we put it all together and had a very profitable day, also having a long positive run where I felt pretty good, actually better than I felt on the bike until now. We have to continue working like this but, in the meantime, I'm leaving here with a smile. »
