Motorland Aragon Test The First Step Into 2017 For KRT
A two-day test at Motorland Aragon in Spain is about to get underway for the KRT duo of Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes at the 5.077km Spanish circuit as the transition to the 2017 Ninja ZX-10RR takes on a whole new level of significance.
The test days, between 16 and 17 November, are the start of the usual intense and wide-ranging on-track preparations the official Kawasaki Racing Team squad will undertake with the Ninja ZX-10RR.
The KRT tests will start after a media day at Motorland Aragon on Tuesday 15th November, in which journalists got to ride not only Jonathan Rea’s championship-winning Ninja ZX-10R Superbike but also the awesome new Ninja ZX-10RR.
Based on the current Ninja ZX-10R the new model is an even more focused high performance machine, with several race-ready improvements in its overall design.
Motorland is a known quantity as a test venue and a race circuit for the official WorldSBK team and is located relatively close to KRT’s base of operations in Barcelona. Both KHI and the KRT squad have significant amounts of data from previous Motorland experiences to make genuine comparisons and gauge progress.
With some technical rule changes in 2017, most notably on the electronics and induction systems, the entire focus of the tests will be on the forthcoming season and the opportunities it presents.
In 2016 Kawasaki won the Manufacturers’ Championship, Rea and Sykes finished 1-2 respectively in the Riders’ Championship and the official Kawasaki Racing Team also headed up the final classification in the team’s title race.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It looks like we should have some consistent weather for the next couple of days at Motorland and that will be good because we have some chassis components to test, both from Showa and Kawasaki, and some engine components also. We have some ideas to improve the whole package so it will be very busy over the winter period. I will have two bikes at this test and what we do not tick off the list of work here we will take to the next tests in Jerez. We are starting again, step-by-step, and we will just work through our programme.”
Tom Sykes, stated: “We have two days on track and the plan is to try out different items to evaluate chassis and suspension materials and obviously we are changing things round to suit 2017 rules. There will be lot of small changes to start with. I am trying to confirm the chassis set-up from 2016 and have more time on the bike. We are getting close to our final 2017 bike already. The test is going to be different to the mid-season ones we have done already. Here we will have two bikes a more things coming. We can be more efficient in our working that way. This is where it all begins again and I am looking forward to getting on track at Motorland. We are looking to go faster, as always!”
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “The winter test period is very important. It is similar to when you have a school exam. If you don’t study, for sure you won’t pass. If you study you have a major probability of success. In racing it is 100% the same. In this period it is important to keep the riders focused and all staff must concentrate to make good analysis and then give proper indications to the suppliers and Kawasaki engineers. We have many ideas to work on so let’s see how we manage.”