Lecuona and Petrucci eagerly await European opening of the 2021 season
With sweet memories still quite fresh in the mind of the entire crew, the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team is arriving in Portimao with high hopes and impatient to start the Grande Premio de Portugal with FP1 this Friday at 9.55 local time (10:55 CET). The joyful anticipation rises even more in light of the difficulties faced at the Losail International Circuit for the start of the 2021 MotoGP World Championship.
While suffering from pain given by his right underarm, Iker Lecuona couldn’t exploit his full potential in Qatar. Yet he went straight to have surgery in order to solve his arm pump issue and being ready for the third round, aiming to improve and getting closer to the points scoring positions this time.
Meanwhile the team’s newcomer Danilo Petrucci faced a tricky Qatar and Doha GP as well, after testing his new KTM RC16 just a few days ahead of the season opener. He arrives at the Algarve circuit with confidence to build on his latest feeling, still working on his right sore shoulder following his crash during the first round.
Iker Lecuona
Championship: 18th
Points: –
“For me it will be the very first time with the MotoGP machine in Portimao, as I missed the finale last year. Therefore, I’m like a rookie there. I know the circuit from 2016, but for sure, the asphalt is different and the KTM RC16 is obviously a completely different bike.”
“After my surgery last Tuesday, my right arm feels better with each day. I’m already starting some exercises with it. I’m looking forward to arrive in Portugal and I’m sure I’ll be close to 100 percent there.”
Danilo Petrucci
Championship: 21st
Points: –
“It’s quite clear, that I’m not happy about the result in Doha. I expected to be faster, but it has been only my first race with the KTM RC16. I gained quite a lot of experience and now I know a little bit better what is going on with the bike and where we still need to work on.”
“In Portimao, the bike has been very, very competitive last year. Until we arrive there, I’m working on my shoulder, which is not stable. I will do everything to be at 100 percent in Portimao. I can’t wait to ride there, as the circuit is completely different to Losail. My aim is to improve the bike and my results.”
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“After the disappointment of the opening two races in Qatar, the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team is looking forward to go down to Portugal and reconnect with the Portimao circuit, where we’ve got great memories from our last visit. Sure, from a year to another, things change.”
“Firstly, we don’t know what the weather and the track conditions going to be like. We got a new riders line up, but we still believe, that we should be much more competitive than we were in Qatar. Iker got his arm pump surgery, that went well and he should be 100 percent without worrying about that. Danilo has got his first race on a KTM under his belt, therefore on paper nothing prevents us from a much stronger result.”
