Season-Ending Winter Tests Finish On A High For KRT

After a week of testing at Jerez in Spain Kawasaki Racing Team riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes set impressive lap times as they shared the circuit with some of the main 2017 rivals and several top MotoGP runners. Riding the 2017-spec Ninja ZX-10RR Rea set the fastest individual lap time of the tests on a dry track on Thursday, with Sykes the third fastest WorldSBK rider and the fifth fastest rider overall.

After two tests in quick succession – at Motorland Aragon last week and Jerez this week – the KRT squad has completed the 2016 sector of its overall winter test plan in positive fashion.

KRT was joined by several KHI staff at Jerez to help properly evaluate the new WorldSBK specification chassis and engine materials, which have been adapted for the recently launched ZX-10RR. Each rider had two machines to test, to allow for meaningful back-to-back comparisons.

The Jerez test for KRT featured three dry days in the middle of the week, bracketed by two wet days on Monday and Friday. Neither of the riders took to the track on Friday 25th, as conditions had deteriorated so much. Rea left Jerez with a track best of 1’38.721 while using a qualifying rear tyre with Sykes setting a 1’39.461, again on a ‘Q’ rear tyre. Rea was even more pleased with the 1’39.5 lap time he set on race tyres than his best-of-test flying lap of 1’38.721.

Rea had completed his pre-planned schedule by Thursday afternoon but a crash for Sykes earlier the same day lost him some track time just as his crew had fitted all the most promising new parts and settings to his number one machine. He still managed to complete a fast lap time on his spare machine and enjoyed consistent pace over distance.

A break in track action now begins for the team, with the winter test schedule restarting at Jerez on 24th January 2017.

Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a very successful test with three days of very consistent weather. We also got a morning of wet conditions in which we confirmed a few things, especially a new Showa rear shock. I have to thank all at KRT for giving us this long test and KHI for bringing some extra engineering staff. Thanks to Showa for continuing to develop new parts for us and bringing them to the track. We did two race simulations on Thursday that we were very happy with. We can go into the winter in great shape and with a lot of confidence for next season. Having the new Ninja ZX-10RR has let us fix some of our weaker points, as our engine is a little bit stronger than before, with some extra RPM. That is always an added bonus. We can be optimistic for 2017. Looking back on 2016 it has been an incredible year to finish off here with a successful test I want to say thanks to all my team and all my crew, everyone inside KRT and KHI for these last few days.”

Tom Sykes, stated: “During the Aragon tests and also here at Jerez I feel we have been doing good work. For sure we have still not hit the nail on the head but the good thing is we are doing a lot of trial and elimination. Even here, where I was not entirely happy with my feeling, we managed to put in good lap times. Both myself and Jonathan seem to be able to do consistent lap times, which is promising. I had a crash on Thursday that stopped me using my preferred machine but still we were able to continue testing. We know we can do what is required on whatever set-up we have, but now we are going to have a few weeks to relax, refresh and recharge the batteries. I am confident that with the information we now have we can put the jigsaw together in January and start testing again from there.”

Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “Always in the winter time we try to follow all the items we have that Japan has prepared. Chassis engine, suspension, everything. We focused not to set the bike up for the racetrack; we focused to try out the parts. I know the potential of Kawasaki as a manufacturer, Johnny, the team, everybody, but still it has been so positive here. With a Q tyre we made a big, big step forward. With a race tyre our target was to improve the durability in the second part of the race. It seems like we have made another step. I can say that we reached our targets for the first part of the winter tests. We are very pleased to be in the shape that we are in and with all the information we have.”

Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Tom Sykes, stated: “Jerez was more complex for us than the recent Aragon test. The bike is harder for Tom to manage because of his unique way of riding and we have had to compensate for this by improving the chassis performance. We made some very fundamental steps on the bike set-up, with some good and not so good results. We have enough data to really study in the winter break and we will be able to bring all the good points together before we start testing again in January. We have a lot of information from the last five years, and three more tests before we go racing at Phillip Island. I am sure we can give Tom a proper bike set-up before the first race in Australia.”

More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:

The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team finalizes the 2016 winter tests in Jerez

After testing in Aragon (Spain) last week, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team resumed action in Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) with Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri for a three-day, final test of 2016.

Both riders were able to make several comparisons and evaluate engine, electronics and chassis upgrades developed for the Panigale R, including a new swingarm, both with qualifying and race setups. The worsening weather that characterized the last day on track also allowed Davies and Melandri to make several runs in wet conditions, which rarely unfolded during the championship.

Davies and Melandri clocked 184 and 161 laps respectively, completing their programs. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will resume action on January 24-25 in Jerez de la Frontera for the first tests of 2017.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) 1:39.116

“It’s been a good test. We’ve been quite lucky with the weather overall and we’ve gone fast, setting good lap times given that our bike is not that much different but our pace has taken a step forward compared with last winter’s tests and the race here. I never broke the 1’40 mark before but set a 1:39.1 on Thursday, and I still feel like we’re leaving 4 or 5 tenths out there. On the last day, we lapped quite a lot in the wet, gathering some good indications even though track conditions can change quickly here. Now we will keep working on the new parts and overall balance, but our base package is solid.”

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #33) 1:39.694

“I’m happy with the way these tests went. We tried several upgrades for the 2017-spec of the bike, with positive feedback, even though we need to make further evaluations especially in wet conditions. Everyday I feel more comfortable on the Panigale R, and our pace is quite good. We’re not far from the front. I still miss something on a single lap, and we struggle a bit on new tyres, but I really like the overall character of the bike. Our priority now will be to make the most of the potential of our electronic package, which is highly developed. During the break I’ll keep training hard and in January I will try my first race simulations to be ready for Phillip Island. It won’t be easy, but I can’t wait to give it a go.”

More, from a press release issued by Pata Yamaha:

 Rain in Spain Halts Pata Yamaha Jerez Test after Positive Two Days on Track

The Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s three-day test schedule was cut short at the Circuito de Jerez today, as heavy rain, strong winds and chilling temperatures hit the Andalucían region. However, the promising work already undertaken during Wednesday and Thursday’s sessions by Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark has left the squad pleased with the outcome and confident the information garnered will see them positively through the winter’s development stage.

Continuing the detailed evaluation work from Aragon, Lowes navigated the 4,423m layout completing 92 laps during the opening two, cool but sun-filled days at the southern Spanish circuit. With two fully-dedicated YZF-R1’s and a prototype-prepared machine at his disposal, the British rider concentrated on improving his race pace in reference to his MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship competitors – utilising only the Pirelli tyres employed during October’s event as his reference – while he traversed the extensive Yamaha test plan featuring both performance and fundamental parts testing with much success. New 2017 prototype chassis design parts were analysed on track for the first time by Lowes and his new Dutch teammate, with important feedback documented for further development by Yamaha Motor Europe’s R&D ahead of the new season’s January testing. Lowes concludes 2016 confident with his improved pace, having recorded his fastest ever Jerez lap on race rubber – a 1’40.142 – despite struggling with ongoing flu conditions and deciding to sit out of Friday’s wet session to recuperate.

Team rookie van der Mark continued the positive showing seen at last week’s debut as he familiarised himself further with his YZF-R1 and Pata Yamaha crew at Jerez. Choosing to set a small number of laps during Friday’s dismal downpour, allowing him his first taste of the Yamaha Superbike in the wet, the 23-year-old concluded his final three days in Spain with a tally of 154 laps. Running an equally demanding schedule to his British counterpart, van der Mark used the eight hour days to focus on both his individual set-up and performance elements, while also adding to the evaluation of prototype components for next season.

Alex Lowes

“Overall the test was quite positive for us here in Jerez. We tested a wide variety of parts and made progress in a few of the areas where I have struggled in the past, while also identifying where we still need to improve to close the gap to the front. We were lucky with the weather for the first two days as the forecast wasn’t great before we arrived but I haven’t been feeling very well throughout this week so I decided to sit out the wet conditions on the final day. With four good days on track complete I can also go into the winter break with a clear understanding of what I need to work on and where I must improve to be better next year. As always I want to say a massive thank you to all the team, it’s been a very tough year and I really appreciate their work, now let’s focus on 2017!”