The Superbike World Championship winter preparations officially kicked off as Miguel Oliveira took to the track during the winter testing sessions at the Jerez circuit. The Portuguese rider is heading into his second campaign with ambitious targets, aiming to fight consistently at the sharp end of the grid.
During the recent test outings, test rider Michael van der Mark stepped in to share the development workload. The engineering crew focused heavily on evaluating a brand-new chassis configuration alongside new tire options as the squad looks to bridge the gap to the front-runners.
Major changes within the team's garage include the departure of Danilo Petrucci, whose chapter with the squad concluded at the end of the previous season. The Italian's exit marks the end of a harmonious partnership that brought immense positive energy to the team environment.
"Danilo is not only a very good racing rider, but also a super teammate. We always worked together to provide productive information to the factory. But not only that, with him we had a very pleasant atmosphere in the box, and that is very important," explained the 31-year-old. "He is simply a super guy and it makes me sad that he will no longer be in this paddock. I wish him only the best for his future."
Looking ahead, the squad is preparing to welcome Brad Binder into the fold once the South African rider finalizes his ongoing commitments in the premier Grand Prix class with KTM.
The two riders share a mutual understanding stemming from their shared past in the grand prix paddock, setting the stage for a formidable intra-team dynamic once the new recruit adapts to production-based racing machinery.
"He obviously brings high speed and is aggressive on the bike. I hope that he can bring his experience to develop our motorcycle so that it is capable of winning. That is our ultimate goal," the Portuguese star emphasized. "What you expect from a teammate is that he checks you and pushes you to the limit. We want to win a few races and be on the podium more regularly. Then I would be satisfied."
Read Also
Gabriele Ruiu resmi bergabung dengan Joe Rascal untuk mengarungi kalender balap Bagger World Cup. Simak analisis mendalam perpindahan pembalap ini.
Tarran Mackenzie resmi menjadi pembalap pabrikan BMW bersama Scars Racing di BSB. Simak analisis lengkap kepindahan dan persiapan sang juara di sini.
Philipp Ottl resmi bertahan di Feel Racing untuk kendarai Ducati Panigale V2 baru di WorldSSP. Simak analisis mendalam dan jadwal tes di sini.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!