MotoGP Misano Test
Focus on KTM
One day after engines had cooled in the wake of the San Marino Grand Prix and round fourteen of the 2022 MotoGP season, the grid was busy again for the sixth official test of the year.
Both KTM squads were joined by the official test team and Dani Pedrosa at the sun kissed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli where the workload was split between gaining hard data on current set-up suggestions for the KTM RC16 and future ideas that might have a bearing on the 2023 version of the race bike.
Francesco Guidotti – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“Having these two full days has been very helpful. It’s been busy! With a lot of laps, so there will be a lot of information to go through. With Brad and Dani we have been testing some parts for 2023 and to understand if our direction for the new bike is the right one. It was also the chance for Brad to have a first taste of some of these parts. With Miguel we wanted check our work so far this season and how we can still improve for the races ahead. Thanks to all the guys for their efforts here. We’ve been at Misano for some time now but with just one testing day left this year it was important to get through our workload.”
After work on Tuesday and Wednesday, Brad Binder, Oliveira and Pedrosa had accumulated nearly 400 laps of the track between them, while rookies Remy Gardner and Raul Fernandez clocked over 210 circulations with a view to improving their competitiveness for the six Grands Prix that remain on the calendar.
Sebastian Risse – Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP
“This morning we looked at some bigger test components and items for the longer term and that took a bit more time but once we were going then it was very interesting. Brad and Dani were carrying out this work while the other guys focused more on 2022 improvements. We are quite confident that we have a baseline for next year’s bike that is quite promising. On Tuesday we worked on single items that are interchangeable with the platform that is in development and our current race bike, some of them we can race with already, some of them next year but we found some good puzzle pieces. It’s been an intense two day period but we’re all happy that we got something out of it.”
Oliveira was quickest by the end of the session with Binder 16th, Pedrosa, Fernandez and Gardner 21st, 22nd and 23rd.
Miguel Oliveira – P8
“We worked on our settings and took advantage of the good conditions at Misano. We found some little things that should help us on other racetracks. I’m happy with what we were able to do. We kept things simple, even though it is never that simple! Our focus will be on the package we have now, some tire choices and we worked on stability for corner entry. We prioritised that area and also found a few little things for corner exit.”
Brad Binder – P16
“We did a lot of testing! We wanted to search for a better feeling for braking and stopping on one wheel and we made some improvements with the clutch setting and engine braking. As usual some ideas worked, some didn’t and we had some plans for today that we couldn’t quite finalise. Anyway, small things can make a big difference and we really tried to optimise what we had.”
Coming from a positive result with a P13 finish on Sunday at the San Marino GP, Raul Fernandez went full in on Tuesday with different settings to test in order to help him continue his progress this season. His first day was highlighted by his great consistency in the lap times registered as he rode mainly on his own.
Fernandez completed 74 laps with a best in 1’32.395 and finished the day in P19, 0.952 seconds from the top. On Wednesday for day 2, Raul was on track all morning until the practice start session before the lunch break. Another 44 laps in the bag allowed him to gather valuable information for his team for the upcoming races. He slightly improved his time to 1’32.344 and finished the Misano Test in P22, with a very positive feeling.
Raul Fernandez – P22
“On Tuesday, we had a really good day with almost eighty laps. We improved our pace a lot and my riding style is more natural. I understand the carbon brakes better, the tyres better and the whole bike in general is suiting me better.
“Today we continued trying different settings and we found interesting data. The most important thing for me is that we have found a way for me to feel good on this bike, especially on the front, and I hope that we will be able to use this setting for the next races. These two test days in Misano were very positive and I have enjoyed working with Guy Goulon. He is a special man so I would like to thank him for his work.”
Remy Gardner also had a busy track schedule on day 1 of the Misano test. He rode all day as he also worked mainly on bike settings in order to try getting the maximum of his MotoGP engine to help him progress. There was positive information and interesting data which came out of the sixty-one laps of the first day as he finished in P23, his fastest lap being in 1’32.739.
Remy concluded his day with the practice start session. On Wednesday, he completed his Misano Test programme with positivity after another thirty-eight laps during which he rode in 1’32.433, classifying him twenty-third at the end of the two days.
Remy Gardner – P23
“Over these two days we focused a lot on trying different settings so that we can have the best feeling possible for the six races left. This morning, we did some back-checking from the work done on Tuesday and tried different things. We improved by about one second from the race so we can take positives out of this and use this information. In general, I was looking for more confidence on the front tire for turning and braking, and I think that we managed to get a better feeling on the bike, so I am satisfied with this. Time to head home for some rest before Aragon.”
MotoGP now drives across the continent to eastern Spain. The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón will pull the series to the MotorLand Aragon circuit near Alcañiz on September 17-18.
MotoGP Misano Test Combined Times
- Fabio Quartararo – Yamaha 1m31.054 (FP4)
- Francesco Bagnaia – Ducati 1m31.172 (FP3)
- Maverick Vinales – Aprilia 1m31.189 (FP3)
- Enea Bastianini – Ducati 1m31.260 (FP3)
- Aleix Espargaro – Aprilia 1m31.333 (FP3)
- Jorge Martin – Ducati 1m31.439 (FP3)
- Luca Marini – Ducati 1m31.473 (FP2)
- Miguel Oliveira – KTM 1m31.585 (FP3)
- Marco Bezzecchi – Ducati 1m31.591 (FP2)
- Fabio DiGiannantonio – Ducati 1m31.605 (FP3)
- Johann Zarco – Ducati 1m31.606 (FP2)
- Franco Morbidelli – Yamaha 1m31.614 (FP3)
- Marc Marquez – Honda 1m31.642 (FP3)
- Pol Espargaro – Honda 1m31.707 (FP1)
- Takaaki Nakagami – Honda 1m31.786 (FP4)
- Brad Binder – KTM 1m31.803 (FP4)
- Alex Marquez – Honda 1m31.864 (FP4)
- Jack Miller – Ducati 1m31.927 (FP3)
- Alex Rins – Suzuki 1m31.936 (FP1)
- Michele Pirro – Ducati 1m32.070 (FP3)
- Dani Pedrosa – KTM 1m32.308 (FP3)
- Raul Fernandez – KTM 1m32.346 (FP3)
- Remy Gardner – KTM 1m32.433 (FP3)
- Stefan Bradl – Honda 1m32.634 (FP1)
- Darryn Binder – Yamaha 1m32.820 (FP1)
- Lorenzo Savadori – Aprilia 1m33.379 (FP1)
- Dominique Aegerter – Suzuki 1m33.907 (FP1)
- Andrea Dovizioso – Yamaha 1m34.897 (FP1)
MotoGP Misano Test Day Two Top Speeds
- Martin 300.0
- Quartararo 298.3
- Vinales 298.3
- Bagnaia 297.5
- A Espargaro 297.5
- Pedrosa 297.5
- Miller 296.7
- Bastianini 296.7
- Pirro 295.8
- Oliveira 295.8
