Herve Poncharal berkata ada tempat untuk Hafizh Syahrin di Tech3 Moto2 musim depan seandainya dia berminat untuk kekal bersama pasukan itu.
Pelumba tunggal negara dalam saingan MotoGP itu bergelut dalam kempen sulungnya bersama jentera KTM musim ini.
Beban Hafizh turut ditambah apabila KTM mengumumkan tempatnya bakal diambil alih Brad Binder.
Sebelum ini, Hafizh dilaporkan telah berbincang dengan dua-tiga pasukan di Moto2 dan diantaranya adalah Tech 3 yang berkemungkinan akan menggandingkannya dengan Marco Bezzechi.
Menurut laporan motorsport.com, Herve telah pun berbincang dengan Hafizh beberapa perlumbaan sebelum ini.
“Saya telah bercakap dengan Hafizh beberapa perlumbaan sebelum kami mengumumkan penyertaan Brad (Binder), sebab itu dia tidak terkejut apabila pengumuman rasmi dibuat.
“Dia telah melaksanakan tugas dengan baik bersama kami terutamanya ketika ketiadaan Jonas Folger musim lalu.
“Peluang untuk dia bersama kami di Moto2 sentiasa terbuka. Sekarang keputusan berada di tangannya. Saya berharap dapat membuat pengumuman rasmi bagi barisan pelumba Moto2 menjelang Silverstone,” jelasnya.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Hafizh mengakui Herve berminat untuk mengekalkannya bersama Tech3 di Moto2.
Sumber: Red Bull KTM @ Twitter
“Ketika ini saya masih belum membuat keputusan tetapi jika saya kekal dengan KTM, saya tidak akan bergelut untuk memahami jentera yang digunakan. Binder juga berjaya naik ke MotoGP sebelum cuti pertengahan musim,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Hafizh turut menjelaskan dia berpeluang untuk kembali sertai Petronas Sprinta – pasukan yang diwakiliknya di antara 2014 hingga 2017.
“Saya juga telah berbincang dengan Dato Razlan Razali. Ketika ini saya masih tidak mampu memberi sebarang kata putus. Mungkin selepas GP Austria,”tambahnya.
Semalam, timbul dakwaan bahawa Petronas SRT Moto2 berminat untuk pancing pendahulu kejuaraan, Alex Marquez bagi musim 2020.
Hafizh Syahrin said that he is currently talking to two or three Moto2 teams for 2020.
He currently without a ride in the MotoGP class next year.
His hopes are either the KTM Tech 3 or PETRONAS SRT Moto2 team.
Hafizh Syahrin said that he is currently talking to two or three Moto2 teams for 2020.
His team Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing announced that current factory Moto2 rider Brad Binder will replace Hafizh next year. Unfortunately, all seats in the 2020 MotoGP season are taken, hence Hafizh had to look to the category from where he progressed into MotoGP.
Hafizh had progressed steadily in Moto2 before being tapped by the Tech 3 team in 2018. Back then, he and teammate Johann Zarco rode the Yamaha YZR-M1. Team principal Herve Poncharal decided to swith to KTM for the 2019 season after being promised factory machinery and support, something which Yamaha hadn’t done despite Tech 3 being their partner for more than 20 years.
Apart from Pol Espargaro who had been the KTM factory rider since the start, all three new signings namely Johann Zarco, Miguel Oliveira and Hafizh suffered. It was especially difficult for Zarco and Hafizh to accustom themselves to the aggressive KTM RC16 MotoGP racebike, given their super-smooth riding style.
He is now hoping to join either the KTM Tech 3 or PETRONAS SRT team in Moto2. The KTM team uses their own chassis, while the PETRONAS team uses the Kalex chassis. However, since there is currently only one bike in the PETRONAS team, it remains to be seen if they will add another bike or promote a Moto3 rider to the seat.
Susulan pengumuman rasmi oleh KTM bahawa Brad Binder bakal mengambil alih tempat Hafizh Syahrin di MotoGP musim depan, Hafizh merancang untuk kembali ke Moto2 pada 2020.
Hafizh merupakan pelumba Malaysia pertama untuk beraksi di kelas premier MotoGP apabila mendapat panggilan di saat akhir untuk menggantikan Jonas Folger di Tech3 Yamaha.
Selepas aksi memberangsangkan dengan jentera M1, Tech3 kemudiannya menyambung khidmat Hafizh dengan KTM namun bergelut untuk mencari keserasian dengan jentera RC16.
Dia hanya mengutip tiga mata berbanding rakan sepasukan, Miguel Oliviera, 15 mata.
Menurut laporan Crash.net, Hafizh akui tiada tempat musim depan untuknya di kelas premier.
“Tiada lagi slot di MotoGP. KTM telah membuat keputusan untuk membawa masuk Brad Binder. Saya menghormati keputusan itu namun saya akan terus berikan yang terbaik memasuki separuh kedua musim ini.
“Saya akan merindui pasukan ini tetapi ini adalah asam garam perlumbaan.
“Ketika ini saya sedang berbincang dengan dua atau tiga pasukan di Moto2. Saya mahu kembali mempamerkan kemampuan sebenar saya meskipun di Moto2 lebih baik daripada 2017,” jelasnya.
Pada masa sama, Hafizh turut mengesahkan dia mungkin akan kekal dengan Tech3 di Moto2 malah turut berkemungkinan dia akan kembali ke pangkuan Petronas Moto2.
“Saya telah berbincang dengan Herve (KTM) dan juga Dato Razlan Razali,” katanya.
Demikian kenyataan dibuat Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Sepang International Circuit (SIC), Datuk Razlan Razali berkenaan dengan masa depan pelumba MotoGP negara, Hafizh Syahrin.
Kelmarin, KTM mengumumkan penyertaan Brad Binder yang bakal menggantikan tempat Hafizh bagi musim 2020 sebaik kontraknya berakhir bersama KTM Tech3 musim ini.
Menurut Bernama, Razlan mendedahkan bahawa terdapat sekurang-kurangnya dua tawaran menanti jawapan daripada Hafizh.
“Kontraknya bersama Tech3 telah pun berakhir tetapi dia telah pun mendapat beberapa tawaran dan hanya perlu masa untuk membuat keputusan,”Razlan bercakap kepada Bernama.
Razlan bertemu Hafizh pada Rabu selepas Red Bull KTM Tech3 mengumumkan penyertaan Brad Binder.
Pengurus pasukan Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT) itu mengakui ketika ini peluang untuknya kekal di MotoGP amat tipis.
“Pasukan Petronas Yamaha SRT juga tiada kekosongan dengan rata-rata pelumba kami memiliki kontrak sehingga 2020,” tambah Razlan.
Bagaimanapun, Razlan meminta peminat Hafizh untuk bersabar di samping menegaskan SIC akan terus membantu Hafizh sekiranya dia mahu meneruskan kariernya dalam perlumbaan tidak kira di MotoGP atau di Moto2.
“Berikan masa pada Hafizh untuk membuat keputusan. Sekarang adalah musim cuti jadi ramai pelumba akan berpindah sana sini,” tambahnya.
KTM Tech3 mengumumkan Brad Binder sebagai pelumba baharu pasukan itu menggantikan wakil negara, Hafizh Syahrin musim depan.
Binder bakal digandingkan kembali dengan Miguel Oliviera yang merupakan rakan sepasukannya ketika di Moto2 dan Moto3.
Senario ini sekaligus mengesahkan khabar angin bahawa tiada lagi tempat untuk Hafizh di KTM yang telah pun memasuki tahun akhir kontraknya musim ini.
Jentera RC16 bukan asing bagi Binder malah dia telah pun berada di Brno sejak kelmarin bersama pelumba uji KTM, Dani Pedrosa dan Mika Kallio.
Pengurus KTM Motorsport, Pit Bierer turut meluahkan rasa teruja dengan ketibaan Binder.
“Ini merupakan saat yang amat menggembirakan kerana Binder telah bersama kami lebih lima tahun dan juga pernah muncul juara dunia bersama kami.
“Saya amat teruja kerana jalinan ini akan diteruskan di MotoGP musim depan. Memang jelas kami akan berdepan pelbagai cabaran musim depan tetapi kemasukan Binder membuatkan kami berasa bertanggungjawab untuk melakukan yang terbaik untuknya,” jelasnya
Bierer turut menyifatkan Binder sebagai pelumba yang paling tepat untuk mewakili KTM.
“Saya yakin dia mampu berikan persembahan yang lebih baik, ” tambahnya.
Perkembangan ini dilihat positif bagi KTM yang kelihatan teruja dengan ketibaan Binder tetapi apakah langkah seterusnya buat Hafizh Syahrin?
Menurut beberapa laporan media antarabangsa, besar kemungkinan Hafizh bakal turun ke Moto2 bersama pasukan Tech3 atau kembali sertai Petronas yanf pernah diwakilinya diantara musim 2011 hingga 2017.
Red Bull KTM Tech 3 confirmed today that Brad Binder will move up to the MotoGP team in 2020.
He will replace Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin.
There is currently no word on Hafizh’s future ride.
Red Bull KTM Tech 3 confirmed today that South African rider Brad Binder will join the MotoGP team in 2020, while Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin is out.
Binder was the 2016 Moto3 champion on a Red Bull KTM and promoted to the Moto2 class for this season. Although the Moto2 team is suffering, Binder has distinguished himself by finishing on the podium twice in a row. He put in an especially extraordinary run in the last German Grand Prix at Sachsenring by charging to a second-placed finish from 19th on the grid.
He will be the first South African to compete in the premier class, partnering his old Moto2 teammate Miguel Oliveira.
This month has been speculated for months, following Hafizh Syahrin’s unfortunate form. He has struggled to gel with the KTM RC16 throughout the season hence finishing at the bottom of the field consistently. Although we are saddened by this news, we understand that racing is a business.
There are rumours that Hafizh will step back into Moto2. However, there is no word in which team. He may step onto Binder’s Red Bull KTM Moto2 or the Petronas Sprinta Racing Team, which is now without a full-time rider following Khairul Idham Pawi’s injuries.
Hafizh Syahrin will be the next recipient of the carbon fibre swingarm for his KTM RC16.
The change will take place at the German MotoGP round in Sachsenring.
It’s hoped that the new swingarm with have the flex characteristics to enable better cornering.
Hafizh Syahrin will be the next recipient of the carbon fibre swingarm for his KTM RC16. The change will take place at the German MotoGP round in Sachsenring.
It’s no secret that Hafizh is finding it difficult to adapt to the KTM after his Tech 3 team switched over from Yamaha to the Austrian manufacturer. Hafizh is not alone in his suffering, though. His ex-teammate and two-time Moto2 champion Johann Zarco is also facing a difficult prospect.
Photo credit Fox Sports Asia
However, the carbon swingarm seems to yield better results for the other three KTM riders, namely, Pol Espargaro, Johann Zarco and Miguel Oliveira. Oliveira, Hafizh’s Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing teammate had gone well in the early parts of this season, but has now dropped down the order. He finished just ahead of Hafizh in succession in the past number of races. Hafizh, meanwhile, has finished in the points twice thus far.
The carbon fibre swingarm is both strong and light at the same time. More importantly, however, is the amount of tuned flexure especially when the bike is leaned over into corners. A bike’s suspension works best when it’s straight up, but its performance starts to drop off until about 45 degrees off vertical. MotoGP riders, on the other hand, constantly lean more than 50 degrees. Something has to give in order to absorb the bumps in midcorner. Engineers will need to “tune” the frame and chassis for this. It is believed that the RC16’s steel-lattice framework is too stiff, hence riders like Hafizh and Johann find it difficult to turn the bike.
Let’s hope to see Hafizh improve on his results throughout the year.
Pengurus pasukan KTM Tech 3, Herve Poncharal mengharapkan jentera Hafizh Syahrin turun sama menggunakan swingarm gentian karbon seperti rakan sepasukan, Miguel Oliviera.
Meskipun Hafizh tidak mendapat kemas kini terbaru itu ketika di Assen, dia masih mampu menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan ke-15, dua di belakang Oliviera.
Assen merupakan kali kedua Hafizh berjaya mengutip mata setelah bergelut dengan jentera KTM RC16 apabila Tech 3 beralih ke KTM dari Yamaha musim ini.
Komponen baharu ini dijangka dapat membantu memperbaiki catatan masa Hafizh musim ini ekoran lebih ringan berbanding aluminium.
Poncharal yakin swingarm gentian karbon akan membantu Hafizh dalam pusingan seterusnya.
“Saya berharap komponen baharu itu dapat diberikan kepada Hafizh dalam pusingan selepas ini,” jelas Poncharal.
Sebelum ini, dua lagi pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro dan Johan Zarco telah pun menggunakan swingarm gentian learning sekaligus Hafizh merupakan pelumba tunggal yang belum diberikan kesempatan.
Hafizh Syahrin masih belum membuat sebarang keputusan mengenai kariernya dalam saingan MotoGP tatkala timbul desas-desus bahawa dia akan turun semula ke Moto2.
Menurut laporan Berita Harian, Pelumba Red Bull KTM Tech3 itu akui tidak berdepan masalah seandainya senario itu berlaku meskipun ketika ini ia hanya spekulasi.
“Tidak salah sekiranya saya membuat keputusan untuk kekal di MotoGP atau turun ke Moto2. Sudah tentu, kalau berpeluang saya mahu terus kekal,” katanya.
Pelumba berusia 25 tahun itu menampilkan aksi membanggakan dalam musim pertamanya bersama Yamaha sebelum beralih ke jentera KTM.
“Saya mendapat peluang terbaik bersama Yamaha. Walaupun jentera saya tidak sama seperti Johann Zarco tetapi saya sudah berjaya menamatka perlumbaan dalam kelompok 10 terbaik beberapa kali,” tambahnya.
Sumber imej: Fox Sports Asia
Pada masa sama, Hafizh mengakui peralihan ke jentera KTM pada awalnya hadir dengan tanggapan KTM Factory akan dapat membantu meningkatkan kariernya.
“Saya jangka KTM Factory akan dapat membantu saya tetap ketika ini agak sukar. Jangkaan saya itu berbeza daripada apa yang berlaku ketika ini. Apa pun, saya akan terus berusaha keras dan yakin untuk memberi saingan terhadap pelumba lain.
“Tetapi jika saya diturunkan ke Moto2 saya akan berikan yang terbaik untuk kembali semula ke MotoGP,” ujarnya.
Bagi saingan GP Catalunya yang berlangsung minggu ini, Hafizh bakal memulakan saingan di petak 21 di hadapan wakil Aprilia, Bradley Smith setelah mencatat masa kelayakan 1 minit 41.839 saat.
Dalam perkembangan sama, pelumba Petronas Yamaha SRT, Fabio Quartararo bakal memulakan perlumbaan di petak pertama dihadapan pendahulu kejuaraan dan wakil tuan rumah, Marc Marquez.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer said, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”
It follows Zarco’s outrage by calling the RC16’s frame and delivery “sh*t” in Spain.
But Pierer conceded that the bike needs more work.
The KTM MotoGP saga continues with KTM CEO Stefan Pierer saying, “Johann Zarco is a disappointment.”
Pierer uttered the statement following Zarco’s struggle to achieve better results. The two-time Moto2 champion’s best was 13th in Austin, Texas. He placed 15thin the season opener in Qatar and Argentina, and 14th in the Spanish round last week.
Zarco has said that he couldn’t adapt to the KTM RC16, a bike which he said, “only goes well down the straight and only wants to go straight.” He had also been caught on camera calling the frame and power delivery as “sh*t” in Jerez, Spain. This, coming from one of the nicest MotoGP riders was certainly something.
But his statements didn’t go well with KTM’s management.
KTM CEO Stefan Pierer told Speedweek, “Johann is a big disappointment and I’m very sorry about that. We hired him so that he and Pol (Espargarò) could push one another but the opposite happened. Espargarò is on his own.”
The other KTM rider pushing Espargarò was new signing Miguel Oliveira in the Red Bull Tech 3 KTM Racing team, instead. Apart from struggling in Jerez to finish 18th ahead of his teammate Hafizh Syahrin, Oliveira had come home in 17th, 11th and 14th, respectively. KTM was so impressed that they’ve extended Oliveira’s contract through 2020.
Photo credit Autosport
In addition to struggling with a completely new bike, Zarco had to contend with his manager and mentor (and friend) Laurent Falon switching camps to Honda. Falon had kept Honda’s offer a secret from Zarco and team through 2018.
“When an athlete at this level doesn’t have everything under control, then he has a problem. They told me that he was already very rude in the garage in Texas and the situation worsened in Jerez. But I want to say that we will do all we can to improve this year. We’ve already got the new materials, following his indications, and he’ll be joined by Jean-Michel Bayle,” added Pierer.
But Pierer was quick to add that KTM is not seeking to end Zarco’s contract. The French rider was signed also through 2020.
“We still have 15 races to run this year. Going from Yamaha to the KTM requires adaptation and that takes time. There are two different kinds of bikes in MotoGP: Yamaha and Suzuki with the inline 4-cylinders and Honda, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia with the V4. With the latter, you have to ride a certain way. You need to be bold and throw the bike down into the corners, you can’t go easy. Consider how, post Stoner, it took Ducati from 2010 to 2016 to find someone else who could win with their bike.”
On the other hand, Pierer didn’t deny that the RC16 needs more development. He revealed that the bike needs to lose another 4 to 5 kilograms and that the electronics are still an issue.
But what Pierer didn’t mention was the KTM RC16’s chassis architecture, which uses a steel-lattice frame and WP suspension. All MotoGP bikes use Öhlins suspension and aluminium frames. Ducati had suffered with the carbon monocoque for many years (including with Valentino Rossi) before swallowing their pride and reverting to an aluminium frame. It may not make a difference to you and I who ride on the streets and in the occasional track days, but it does for riders who push their bikes to the limits.
Why not change riding styles then? Both Zarco and Syahrin are suffering with turning into corners. Syahrin, Espargarò and Oliveira have all stated that one needs to be “aggressive” with the bike, echoing Zarco’s call.
Zarco has stated before that changing his smooth riding style will result in the team having with too much inconsistent data, especially while developing a new riding style. Setting up a bike is based on how the bike reacts to the rider’s inputs, after all. The best rider to illustrate this was Jorge Lorenzo who also rides with the “traditional” smooth style. He had suffered to no end during his first year with Ducati before the team solved his woes for his second year.
Changing a riding style, especially one that had brought past successes is not easy. The last thing a rider needs to concern himself about is his riding style in the heat of competition. It is the team’s job to provide the rider a bike that he doesn’t have to worry about, to allow him to concentrate on his race strategies i.e. lap times vs. tyre degradation, him vs. his opponents, etc.
The KTM factory had better come up with some solutions fast because all the new riders are at their mercy, rather than the other around.
Marc Marquez meneruskan dominasi dalam saingan MotoGP musim ini apabila berjaya merekodkan kedudukan pertama di GP Amerika buat kali ketujuh berturut-turut dalam kariernya.
Marquez telah pun memenangi kesemua enam perlumbaan di Litar Americas apabila dia memulakan perlumbaan di petak pertama.
Pelumba Sepanyol itu miliki peluang cerah untuk mengulangi kejayaan buat kali ketujuh di Austin selepas mencatatkan masa 2 minit 3.787 saat.
Dia juga muncul pelumba terpantas ketika sesi terakhir ujian tatkala FP3 terpaksa dibatalkan ekoran hujan lebat.
Sementara itu, pelumba veteran, Valentino Rossi bakal memberi saingan terhadap Marquez apabila bakal memulakan saingan di tempat kedua dengan Cal Crutchlow ketiga.
Dalam perkembangan lain, wakil tunggal negara, Hafizh Syahrin akan memulakan aksi di petak ke-21 selepas mencatat masa 2 minit 7.417 saat.
Keputusan sesi kelayakan:
1. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) 2:03.787
2. Valentino Rossi (Movistar Yamaha) 2:04.060
3. Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) 2:04.147
4. Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) 2:04.416
5. Pol Espargaro (KTM) 2:04.472
6. Maverick Vinales (Monster Energy Yamaha) 2:04.489
7. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) 2:04.534
8. Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 2:04.696
9. Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha) 2:04.941
10. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha) 2:05.278
11. Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda) 2:05.383
12. Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) 2.05.887
