The Grand Prix of Catalunya of the 2018 FIM MotoGP™ World Championship will be contested this weekend at the Circuit de Montmeló, with the Energica Ego Corsa being among the stars of a new chapter of motorsport history on display. For the seventh round of the season, a legend from the past has been chosen to ride the all-electric, track-ready superbike machine: two-time world champion and local hero Àlex Crivillé.
The 48-year-old rider from Seva, a small town in northern Catalunya situated only 40km away from the circuit, raced for 15 years in the Grand Prix world championship, with two titles won a decade apart. The first was in 1989 (125cc) and the last, his most renowned, in 1999 when he lifted the trophy of the then-premier class (500cc). That year, Crivillé stepped atop the podium of his home race by edging team mate Tadayuki Okada at the line by just 0.061secs.
“It’s obviously very special to be riding in front of my home crowd at Montmeló,” says Crivillé. “I raced there many times, won on a couple of occasions, and always enjoyed the experience. This will be my first time on an electric superbike so I’m looking forward to trying in and seeing what it is like. Other riders have done it before me, like Biaggi at Mugello last time out, and I think it’s important that we give our feedback ahead of the first ever edition of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. I’ve heard it’s a race bike that is capable of reaching very high speeds very quickly, and that it has its similarities and differences to what I have been used to ride, so I’m eager to try it for myself!”
The seventh demo lap of the year will get underway on Sunday, June 7th, at 13:20 local time (GMT +2).
LATEST FROM ENERGICA R&D
During the French GP last month, several tests were performed with an updated version of the 2019 Ego Corsa prototype. A new battery combined with updated suspension/brake settings, new brakes and ratios, were all evaluated. This new racing-spec battery has +50% more power and storage in a package that is smaller in size and lighter. A new fairing with improved aerodynamics is also undergoing exhaustive tests with the goal to improve the efficiency of the whole package.
ABOUT ENERGICA MOTOR COMPANY S.p.A
Energica Motor Company is the first Italian manufacturer of high-performing electric motorcycle and is the single manufacturer chosen by Dorna for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Energica Motorcycles are on sales worldwide.
The all-electric racing bike Energica Ego Corsa is currently under development and will be involved in a demo test programme which will be carried out throughout every 2018 FIM MotoGP™ World Championship event.