DEVELOPMENT ON THE APRILIA RS-GP MACHINES CONTINUES

TWO DAYS OF TESTS AT MONTMELÒ FOR ESPARGARÓ AND LOWES

Just hours after the chequered flag at Le Mans, the Aprilia RS-GP machines were on the track again for two days of testing on the Catalan Montmelò circuit. This is a preparatory session for the race that will be held right here on the track a few miles from Barcelona on the second weekend of June.

The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, Espargaró and Lowes, are moving forward with development of the 2017 RS-GP which has proven to be quickly improving and capable of rising to the occasion for Aleix in France in one of the best comeback rides of the season. After starting from the eighteenth spot on the grid, the Spanish rider gained enough positions to battle for seventh until a technical problem halted him. It was an episode that had never before happened with the RS-GP which, however, does not cancel out the progress demonstrated in the first five races of the season.

In the Barcelona tests, Aprilia took a more efficient evolution of the seamless gearbox on its maiden run. Work was done on the electronics, especially to improve performance with a new tyre, whereas Aleix tested the front downforce fairing that his teammate Lowes had already used in a race.

Over the two days, Espargaró turned 83 laps (best lap 1’44.852). 1’46.298 was the best lap of the 119 total laps for Sam Lowes who is fresh from earning his first MotoGP championship points in Le Mans.

ALEIX ESPARGARO’

“These were two important days of testing since we will be here racing in two weeks. At the beginning I struggled a bit to adapt to the new layout, but overall we did a good job on the RS-GP. We began with some difficulty braking, but on the second day we managed to improve a lot. I felt good. We lapped at good times, especially dialling in the electronics. I can’t wait to come back here for the race.”

SAM LOWES

“The last two days were “real” testing for me, we tried many things on the bike to try find a good direction and continue the development. We are happy with the results, we never used a soft tyre to push for lap time and managed to improve our constant pace even testing many things. I am positively looking forward to Mugello, our home race and one of my favourite circuits”.

More, from a press release issued by Pull&Bear Aspar Team:

The Pull&Bear Aspar team completed a two-day test in Barcelona with riders Álvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham. In the test, ahead of the Catalan Grand Prix on the weekend of June 11th, Bautista put in a total of 138 laps across the two days (70 on Tuesday and 68 on Wednesday) and completed a race simulation of a dozen laps. It was during the race simulation that he set his best time of the week: 1:44.258.

Abraham was left disappointed by the feeling he had from the two days of testing. The Czech rider completed 103 laps of the Spanish track, with a best time of 1:46.690. He was able to undertake a race simulation with consistent times, but aims to lower them at the race in a few weeks’ time.

Álvaro Bautista 1:44.258 (138 laps): “Today we had to try some things with the setup to try to improve my confidence, especially on corner entry and turning the bike mid-corner. We didn’t find anything that could help us today, and so we decided to return to the base setup. After that we completed a race simulation to see how the tyres worked with so many laps in them. This is a very hard track for tyre wear, and on the last few laps we had some grip problems, but that’s normal. We have done a lot of testing, and it has been a positive test from which we draw good conclusions that can help us in the future.”

Karel Abraham 1:46.690 (103 laps): “Yesterday morning went quite well, but after that we found things a little harder. We tried a race simulation in the afternoon today. We set some good times which were very consistent, but we need to go a little faster. I tried to push with the new tyres and it was hard for me to improve my time -we are not where we need to be. We’ll study the data and see if that is down to the new tyre or something else.”

More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

Ducati private testing session concludes at Barcelona

The Ducati Team, with riders Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, has concluded a two-day test at the Circuit de Montmelò on the outskirts of Barcelona in preparation for the Catalunya GP, round 7 of the MotoGP World Championship, which will be held on this track in two weeks’ time.

Also on track since Monday was the Ducati Test Team with Casey Stoner and Michele Pirro. The Australian champion only tested on Monday and then handed over to Pirro who completed the rest of the 2017 Ducati Desmosedici GP’s development work in the other two days.

The Ducati riders concentrated mainly on the search for an optimal set-up for the Catalan race.

The Montmelò track that will be used in June has been slightly modified at Turns 14 and 15 since last year and is now similar to the one used for the Formula 1 race.

Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99) – best lap in 1’43.998 (146 laps)

“It was a very interesting test. In two days I did about 150 laps, notching up a lot of kilometres and we found some positive solutions. I was also the fastest Ducati rider on both days. Overall we are competitive in every sector, but we are still losing a few tenths in the final part and so we will have to improve here in view of the race. As for the front tyre, Michelin have done a good job, bringing a couple of tyres that resolve the problem of graining on the right side, but we still have to find a solution for the rear.”

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – best lap in 1’45.067 (123 laps)

“We did a lot of laps in these two days of testing, with temperatures that should be similar to what we will find in the race in a couple of weeks, and it was important because in the last few years we’ve always struggled at this track. My fastest lap was not so fast but we are not too bad with our race pace. It was also important to come and get an idea of the front tyre wear; Michelin brought several tyres to try and we found some good solutions. The track, after the modification to the chicane, is not as nice as before but it is safer now.”

More, from a press release issued by Relae Avintia Racing:

Positive test for Reale Avintia Racing riders in Barcelona

Reale Avintia Racing riders completed a positive two-day-test at the modified Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit today. Hector Barbera and Loris Baz were able to test again the new Michelin front tyres that will be introduced in the championship from the next round, and both riders declared them selves satisfied with these two testing days in Barcelona.

Barbera continued working on his front feeling and he confirmed the positive feeling he had in the three laps he was able to complete during last Sunday race at Le Mans. The Spanish rider did a race simulation today and he finished the test with a best lap time of 1’44.469, only 0.4s from Jorge Lorenzo, the fastest Ducati at Montmelo today.

Loris Baz did 135 laps over the two days and he tried different solutions that during a race weekend are impossible to evaluate. Some of those tests were positive and, above all, the French rider was able to get the feeling with the new Michein front tyre. Baz also did a race simulation with positive conclusions.

This test was useful because the riders had the chance to work towards the Calatan Gran Prix that will take place at this track in just 16 days time. But before, the Reale Avintia Racing riders will head Tuscany, for the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello.

Hector Barbera | 1’44.469 | P6

“This two days of testing in Barcelona were really important because I feel very strong riding my bike. At Jerez we did a big step forward, but we were not able to confirm at Le Mans due to the weather conditions over the weekend and the problem we suffered during the race. But here at Barcelona I felt good immediately with the bike and we improved even more my feeling with the front. We tested once again the new Michelin front and although the allocation is not the best for the race, we got a lot of positive information. Now we have to train hard for Mugello, where I hope to show that we are back on the pace.”

Loris Baz | 1’45.281 | P10

“It was a really positive test and we were able to test many stuff on the bike. Some of the test worked out, some not too much, but would be useful at other circuits. Overall it was a good test for us. It was also positive for Michelin as they were able to get information to keep working towards the race here at Barcelona. I got a good feeling with the new front and this is also a big positive. Today we completed a race simulation and my pace was okay. So I leave the test very happy. Now we have to recharge batteries before we’ll have four races in five weeks.”