The MotoGP round in Qatar left the KTM camp with mixed feelings. Pol Espargaro, serving as the Austrian manufacturer's test rider and a keen observer from the garage, shed light on the technical hurdles faced by Pedro Acosta, who finished sixth. According to Espargaro, the challenges at the Lusail circuit stemmed from extreme tire pressure fluctuations, a technical snag that hampered the young rider's ability to maximize his pace.
"I have been speaking with some of his mechanics, and they confirmed that it was essentially a pressure issue. Yesterday, they started with quite conservative pressures, leaning toward high settings to avoid exactly what happened today," explained Espargaro. The team had implemented this strategy after tire pressures spiked during the Saturday sprint, resulting in a poorer outcome than anticipated. However, the adjustment for Sunday’s main race led to an unfortunate swing in the opposite direction.
Espargaro noted that the team’s attempt to avoid another spike resulted in a technical violation regarding the front tire pressure. "He was riding very well today. They reduced the pressures to prevent a repeat of yesterday, and the complete opposite happened: it did not comply with the tire pressure regulations, which forced him to let several riders pass. He went from one extreme to the other," he summarized.
Beyond Acosta’s performance, Espargaro analyzed the race of Maverick Vinales. Despite finishing approximately 21 seconds behind the race winner, Espargaro argued that the data is not as negative as it initially appears. He suggests that the starting position was the primary factor that hindered Vinales from the very first lap.
"We have to consider that from the positions Maverick started in, you lose about nine or ten seconds in the first two or three laps, so he lost about ten seconds during the rest of the race. That is more or less half a second per lap compared to the fastest rider, and that is actually not bad at all," he explained. Espargaro concluded that the difficulty in overtaking while trapped in the midfield caused the inconsistency in lap times that Vinales experienced throughout the event.
Baca Juga
Simak analisis teknis Pol Espargaro mengenai masalah tekanan ban Pedro Acosta dan performa Maverick Vinales di MotoGP Qatar. Baca berita selengkapnya di sini.
Massimo Rivola kecam keputusan stewards atas insiden Marc Marquez dan Marco Bezzecchi di Qatar. Baca analisis mendalam di sini.
Simak kembali kemarahan Valentino Rossi terhadap Marc Marquez yang diungkit tepat saat hari penentuan gelar juara. Baca analisis mendalam di sini.
Lanjutkan dengan Google
Diskusi & Komentar (0)
Mari Bergabung dalam Diskusi!
Masuk dengan mudah untuk mulai memberikan komentar, membalas, dan berinteraksi dengan pembaca lainnya.
Komentar Terbaru
Belum ada komentar. Jadilah yang pertama!