Dutch rider Robert Schotman was the quickest overall and the quickest of the 20 KTM RC390 Cup World Final riders in Friday’s opening practice session at Sliverstone Circuit in England. Riding his Vos-Oss/Fortron Automotive Treatment-sponsored machine, Schotman went straight to the top of the order, stayed their until the checkered flag and finished with a best lap time of 2:36.682 around the 3.667-mile, 18-turn road course.
Anthony Mazziotto III, riding his Jimmy Winters Motorsports-backed loaner KTM RC390, was the fastest of the five-rider contingent from the MotoAmerica series. Mazziotto, age 15, lapped the fast and flowing circuit in 2:38.627.
“The track’s really cool,” Mazziotto told Roadracingworld.com after the session. “I’m just having some struggles with rear grip, and we’re going to make a gearing change and see if we can get up there with the front guys. We’re bouncing off the rev-limiter, so we’re going to drop a tooth in the rear. We’re going to make some suspension changes to try to find some more rear grip. If that doesn’t work that may be just how it is and I’m going to have to find a way to ride around it.”
The second-best MotoAmerica rider was 18-year-old Hayden Schultz, who did a 2:38.871 on his borrowed machine. Schultz said he was trying to learn the track and the different Metzeler spec tires, which did not have the grip of the Dunlops he raced on in MotoAmerica. In fact, all of the MotoAmerica riders said the Metzeler M7RR tires had less grip than the Dunlop Alpha 13 tires they used in MotoAmerica.
Gage McAllister, the 2015 MotoAmerica KTM RC390 Cup Champion, was third among the MotoAmerica riders at 2:40.093 on his NCR-backed motorcycle. McAllister said he suffered from multiple issues during the session, including a clutch lever that was out of adjustment, shifting problems and a rear brake that wasn’t setup to his liking.
Canadian Braeden Ortt, who is riding with a broken right hand he suffered in the season finale September 13 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, was fourth among the MotoAmerica group. Ortt said his hand was not a problem but a worn-out part in his transmission was causing his shifting problems. Ortt’s crew replaced the part after the session.
Justin McWilliams, a 22-year-old from Texas, lost most of his session due to a crash. McWilliams said he entered “The Loop,” the slowest and tightest turn on the track, with a narrow line, got on the gas too hard too soon and lost rear traction at the exit. McWilliams was not injured and his motorcycle suffered only minor damage.
The KTM class has another 20-minute practice session Friday afternoon.
Santander Consumer Finance KTM British Junior Cup & World Final
Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, England
October 2, 2015
Free Practice One Results (all on KTM RC390s and Metzeler tires):
1. Robert Schotman, Netherlands, 2:36.682 W
2. Sean Kelly, USA/Mexico, 2:37.328 W
3. Djim Ulrich, Netherlands, 2:37.578 W
4. Kevin Keyes, UK, 2:38.158 W
5. Thomas Strudwick, UK, 2:38.242
6. Patrik Pulkkinen, Finland, 2:38.293 W
7. Dennis Stelzer, Germany, 2:38.365 W
8. Anthony Mazziotto III, USA, 2:38.627 W
9. Sasha de Vits, Netherlands, 2:38.778 W
10. Hayden Schultz, USA, 2:38.871 W
11. Chris Taylor, UK, 2:38.993
12. Vili Virtanen, Finland, 2:39.422 W
13. Jirka Mrkyvka, Germany, 2:40.085 W
14. Gage McAllister, USA, 2:40.093 W
15. Marco Fetz, Germany, 2:40.143 W
16. Joep Overbeeke, Netherlands, 2:40.314 W
17. Maximillian Sohnius, Germany, 2:40.525 W
18. Finn de Bruin, Netherlands, 2:40.526 W
19. Cameron Fraser, UK, 2:40.969 W
20. Toni Erhard, Germany, 2:41.327 W
21. Aaron Wright, UK, 2:41.530
22. Lee Hindle, UK, 2:41.702
23. Braden Ortt, Canada, 2:42.322 W
24. James Nagy, UK, 2:42.332
25. Oliver O’Flaherty, UK, 2:43.624
26. Justin McWilliams, USA, 2:45.271, crash W
27. Adam Phipps, UK, 2:46.665
28. Thomas Airey, UK, 2:47.022
29. Sam Lyon, UK, 2:48.788
30. Ewan Potter, UK, 2:56.992
31. Kieran Styles, UK, 3:08.377
32. Leonardo Carnevalli, Italy, no time recorded W
W = World Final competitor