For the 125cc and 250cc Repsol Honda ridersAfter the rain fallen from Thursday afternoon to almost noon yesterday, the Repsol riders were able to get onto the track after lunch, once the asphalt of the Catalunya track had dried.
They were only able to ride half of
the planned time, forcing them to work intensively during the few hours that the track had the minimal conditions needed. However, all riders have been able to improve progressively.
The two test days in Barcelona have ended with a positive result despite the adverse weather conditions, considering that the Repsol riders have been able to make the best use of the time during which the track offered enough grip to lap in a profitable way. Yesterday they started at two o'clock in the afternoon, after the clouds had disappeared and the sun managed to dry the pools on the track after a whole night of rain. However, the session was marked by several crashes that interrupted the session quite a few times.
Yesterday's work followed the same line as Thursday, focussing on optimizing the adaptation of the riders to their machines, while both the 125cc and the 250cc riders were trying to get better feelings on the bike.
Towards the end of the day, Aoyama and Simon were able to clock times that were very close to the times set during the past Grand Prix. Considering the difference of the track temperature and the little test time they have had this preseason so far, the times have been considered as positive.
The 125cc riders, also managed to set similar times to the ones clocked in June, so that the feelings are positive, looking forward to the tests to be carried out in Valencia next week.
Julian Simón (53 laps - 1'47.85): "It's been a complicated day due to the rain, because we were forced to wait until two o'clock in the afternoon. Once the sun came out we managed to get on the track. I was able to improve my times and adapt better to the bike towards the end of the day. We have been testing different changes, especially in the rear end. The laptime isn't bad, but I have to try to be a bit faster. Now the most important is to get to know the bike and the team better and to keep on improving on the riding style for a two-fifty machine. I'm happy because I'm feeling better on the time and the sensations with the team are becoming better as well. Knowing that you have the support of a whole team makes me feel very happy, because you really feel backed. I have no complaint about the bike so far. I'm still getting to know it, but it seems easy to ride. I think that I need a really fine riding style to be able to set good times. Now the most important is to get closer to the limit of the bike and that's what we are working on."
Stefan Bradl (52 laps - 1'52.5): "The work today has been good, I set a fastest lap of 1'53.5 and I'm happy. The grip hasn't been 100% these days but enough to work despite the rain and the cold. My time hasn't been incredible but not bad either. We have tried a new, a bit bigger frame, although I haven't notices much difference.
I fitted a bit better than with the other, but the improvement hasn't been that significant. We've been working step by step to improve the suspension problems and I think that we have managed to move on. We have found a configuration that I think is OK."
Tito Rabat (51 laps 1'52.7): "We haven't been able to lap at all in the morning because it has been raining all night and the track was very wet. But the sun came out and we were able to lap from two to five in the afternoon. The track was very cold in the beginning, even wet in some sections and many riders crashed because the braking sections in the shadow were very slippery. As the track dried we managed to improve our times progressively, although the result hasn't been that good. I think that I still have to improve. I had to move a lot on the bike, and I'm learning to relax and move to let the bike be straight because I lay down too much. I'm working on it and the truth is that I have a much better feeling now, though I still have to get used to these situations."
Shuhei Aoyama (52 laps - 1'47.8)
Bradley Smith (55 laps 1'52.3) Tito Rabat:
