On Wednesday and Thursday graduated from the KTM factory team in the MotoGP class of the motorcycle world championship, the first test runs since the large-scale outbreak of the Coronavirus.
The Red Bull-sponsored factory team from Austria took the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg for a private test under the wheels. Not only KTM, but for a MotoGP Team, was the first round since the common Qatar-Test at the end of February .
Pol Espargaro and test rider Dani Pedrosa completed the two days of any amount of laps. Brad Binder was missing, however, because it is due to the Coronavirus, which has already reached Africa, the departure from his home country of South Africa was denied.
Apart from Espargaro and Pedrosa more than 20 team members were, according to the KTM at the Red Bull Ring in front of the place. According to the manufacturer, all Participants were pre-tested negative for the Coronavirus. The two pilots involved in fine-tuning of the RC16. But above all, it was a matter of “rust” to the three-month forced break to shake off.
“I don’t think I’ve ever moved so long not a motorcycle, especially not in the sense of Competition,” said Espargaro and confesses: “Therefore, it was initially somewhat difficult. But then I quickly found to my rhythm that I had in Qatar.”
The Spaniard speaks of the “many smiling faces in the Box” and explains the technical aspects of the test work: “We have made some improvements. Priority was our feeling on the bike again. We also had a whole lot of [parts] for Testing. Especially with respect to the chassis, but also in the field of electronics, we have improved ourselves.”
KTM race Director Mike Leitner reported: “I’m really happy that we were able to organise these two days in Spielberg, and the MotoGP Team back on track could bring. It was a great effort, but we have all been tested [on Corona], and have made it possible. I think that was the key to the mentality in the company, the Team and all in racing, especially the pilots.”
And KTM head of Motorsport Pit Beirer says: “During the past weeks and months, we had responded radically to the virus situation, we had concluded our Motorsport Department. I gave to the Team, but the promise that we will go first to get back on track. This promise, we were able to redeem now on the Red Bull Ring.”
This article was written by Mario Fritzsche
*The post “First MotoGP since February: KTM decides Spielberg-Test”, is round, published by Motorsport-Total.com. Contact with the executives here.
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