From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON TEAM KR PREPARED FOR MUGELLO

Proton Team KR have not wasted the short spring break since the French GP. The results should be obvious at the next two rounds … back-to-back races at the high speed circuits of Mugello and Catalunya.

A full set of the latest machine modifications, as previewed at Le Mans, will be available to both riders, Nobuatsu Aoki and Kurtis Roberts, at the Italian venue; with the team ready to proceed further with the vital detail work that will get the best out of the new “growler” engine.

At the same time, Dunlop have promised new tyre developments, as they continue work dedicated to developing rubber specifically for the advanced high-tech V5 racer.

“We’re still not fully up to potential with developing the latest engine, but we will be much better prepared than at Le Mans,” said team principal Kenny Roberts.

“We tried a new firing order there, and some other changes, and found out which of them are the right direction. Now we will have more of the good things for these next races.”

The new engine is a “bigger-bang” format, with a completely different exhaust note from the first-generation howler. With five separate pipes, the new motor is louder, with an authoritative deep bass sound.

More importantly, the different firing order offers stronger mid-range performance and better throttle response, as well as significantly reduced engine braking. “The whole bike is more easy to ride, and easy to control when it slides,” explained Aoki.

This is the latest improvement to the impressive new Proton KR package, already housed in a ground-breaking carved-from-solid chassis that has brought significant handling improvements.

Both the motorcycle and the new-this-year Dunlop tyres are still at a relatively early stage of development – but the KR V5 has finished in the points in two out of the three GPs so far, with an improving reliability and performance record race by race.

The last race at Le Mans brought the first points for class rookie Kurtis Roberts, still recovering from a dislocated shoulder in pre-season testing.


NOBUATSU AOKI: I CAN BE OPTIMISTIC
I had a good break at my Monaco apartment. I can’t see the GP circuit, but I enjoyed watching the F1 race as a trackside spectator. I know that the factory has been working so hard to develop the new engine and make improvements. Also Dunlop will bring a new tyre. I can see that little by little everybody is making progress, so I can feel confident that we can keep getting better at this race.

KURTIS ROBERTS: EVERY TIME’S BETTER
It was good to finish a race in France, and in the points; but it’s still just a first step. It was the longest I’d been on a bike since my testing crash, and my shoulder was a little sore afterwards. But I’ve had a couple of weeks to recover, so I’m looking forward to the next races, and getting stronger every time.