Teringin nak rasa seperti Pol Espargaro di litar lumba?
KTM menawarkan dua jentera MotoGP RC16 dengan harga EUR288,000 (RM1.4juta) (sebelum VAT) tetapi dengan harga tersebut anda juga akan menerima:
race suit Pol Espargaro
helmet perlumbaan dengan tandatangan Pol Espargaro
pakej MotoGP VIP bagi musim 2021 termasuk pas belakang tabir, berjumpa dengan pelumba MotoGP dan set pakaian lengkap Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team
KTM RC16 merupakan jentera yang bertanggungjawab membantu (Pol) Espargaro memulakan perlumbaan di barsian depan di Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli sebelum menamatkan perlumbaan di kedudukan 10 terbaik.
Pihak yang berminat hanya perlu menghantar e-mel ke rc16@ktm.com untuk sebarang pertanyaan atau membuat pembelian.
Bagaimanapun, KTM akan menentukan pembeli yang benar-benar layak untuk membeli kedua-dua jentera terbabit.
At last, the worst-kept ‘secret’ in MotoGP 2020 has finally been confirmed as Pol Espargaro was announced as the second rider for Repsol Honda beginning 2021. The Spaniard will be partnering up with HRC’s golden boy, Marc Marquez, and we think it will be spectacular next season. (more…)
Demikian kenyataan dikeluarkan pelumba Red Bull KTM, Pol Espargaro, selepas ujian pra-musim di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang berakhir hujung minggu lalu.
Bagi yang skeptikal, kenyataan itu mungkin agak tak masuk akal, meletakkan KTM dan Ducati dalam satu ayat umpama satu dosa besar.
Bagaimanapun, bagi yang menjadi saksi di SIC sepanjang ujian pra-musim, Espargaro berjaya merekodkan aksi konsisten – berada dalam kelompok 10 terbaik bagi ketiga-tiga hari.
Aksi konsisten itu meletakkan dia setaraf Ducati meskipun ketika hari pertama dan kedua, Espargaro merekodkan masa yang lebih pantas.
Malah, pelumba uji, Dani Pedrosa, berjaya merekodkan masa ketiga terpantas pada hari kedua ujian, dipisahkan hanya 0.090 saat berbanding Fabio Quartararo.
Kejayaan KTM merupakan hasil daripada pengeluar motosikal Austria itu mencurahkan segalanya dalam membangunkan jentera RC16 bagi musim 2020.
Pol Espargaro ternyata bakal tonggak utama KTM musim ini, musim lalu dia mempamerkan aksi memberangsangkan terutamanya memasuki separuh kedua musim 2019 sebelum mengalami kecederaan di Aragon.
“Ujian pra-musim kali ini satu kejayaan bagi kami dan saya sangat gembira. Kami berjaya kekal dalam masa 10 terbaik sepanjang hari ujian.
“Sebelum ini kami hanya mampu melakukan masa terpantas dalam satu lap tetapi kali ini kami konsisten mengekalkan catatan itu,” jelas Espargaro menurut GPOne.
Difahamkan, antara faktor utama yang membawa perbezaan kali ini adalah penggunaan enjin dan swingarm serba baharu.
“Swingarm baharu ini lebih baik daripada yang sebelumnya. Enjin serba baharu ini juga lebih berkuasa dan beraksi dengan baik secara keseluruhan, pengaliran kuasa juga sangat lancar dan ini membenarkan kami untuk memecut dengan lebih cepat,” tambahnya.
Ujian pra-musim akan bersambung di Litar Losail, Qatar sebelum saingan pembukaan tirai MotoGP 2020 berlangsung di litar sama pada 8 Mac ini.
Pelumba Ducati, Danilo Petrucci akur bergelut untuk menyaingi kelajuan yang dipamerkan pelumba lain.
Ujian pra-musim di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) berakhir semalam dengan pelumba Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT), Fabio Quartararo mendominasi catatan masa terbaik bagi ketiga-tiga hari.
Petrucci menamatkan hari terakhir ujian pra-musim di kedudukan keenam sementara pelumba satelit Pramac Ducati, Francesco Bagnaia, mencatat keputusan yang lebih baik untuk menduduki kedudukan keempat dengan 1 minit 58.502 saat.
Andrea Dovizioso
Rakan sepasukan, Andrea Dovizioso turut gagal melakar catatan masa 10 terbaik apabila sekadar menduduki tempat ke-12 dengan masa 1 minit 58.859.
Bagaimanapun, kedua-dua wakil Ducati itu bergelut untuk mengekalkan catatan masa bawah 1 minit 59 saat lebih daripada 10 lap sementara Maverick Vinales (Yamaha), Marc Marquez (Honda), Alex Rins (Suzuki) termasuk Espargaro (KTM) berjaya merekodkan catatan masa yang lebih konsisten.
Pol Espargaro
“Fokus Maverick (Vinales) dan Marc (Marquez) mungkin berbeza dan saya berasakan mereka pelumba yang laju, (Aleix) Espargaro turut pamer tunggangan yang pantas termasuklah Rins dan Quartararo.
“Mereka berjaya mengekalkan catatan masa bawah 1’59s lebih daripada 10 lap dan kami bergelut untuk menyamai catatan ini,” jelasnya kepada motorsport.com.
Ujian pra-musim kedua akan diteruskan di Litar Losail, Qatar sebelum aksi pembukaan tirai bermula di litar sama pada 8 Mac ini.
Throughout the three days of winter testing last weekend during the official Sepang MotoGP Test, one particular manufacturer has been popping up quite fast to the top of the timesheets early in the day. The KTM RC16 ridden by Dani Pedrosa and Pol Espargaro set the trend for the fastest lap times before noon hits and that says a lot about what the factory has to offer for the 2020 season. (more…)
They are now being tested at the Jerez pre-season tests.
The frames are still made of steel but have a different shape.
You may have heard of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider Pol Espargaro singing praises about the KTM RC16 MotoGP bike’s new frame.
He even went as far as setting the same lap time as reigning world champion Marc Marquez at one point. He then thanked test rider Dani Pedrosa for his input.
The first new frame was tested at the first 2020 pre-season test at Valencia last week. It still features steel as the material but in rectangular form instead of the usual tube-shape KTM had been using since the first RC16.
Comparison of the frames at Valencia – Photo credit Motor Sport Magazine
Now there’s a second frame at the Jerez tests, painted black presumably to hide its shape.
“The black frame is the newest one, maybe not the biggest improvement, but it’s already a small step better (than the orange frame,” said Espargaro.
“We have an advantage over the others because our metal tube chassis is much faster (to make) than the others. This is going to be helpful to us,” he revealed.
Indeed, that’s true as the aluminium beam frames in MotoGP are machined from billet(!), instead of being cast or extruded. This main section which includes the headstock and spars are then welded to the uprights.
KTM RC16 new frame v2 – Photo credit Crash.net
On the other hand, steel beams are extruded then welded together. In fact, the team could cut and weld different sections with much ease compared to welding aluminium frames.
Overall, the team is seeking to create a bike that’s better in terms of turning, traction and stability. As Espargaro said of the old frame, “The best part about our bike is the front. On the brakes the bike is stable, and we can go deep in braking. Normally the problems we have is from the back of the bike, low grip and low turning (difficult to turn).”
Pedrosa also took to the track during the test sessions. Hopefully we’ll get to see him again in Malaysia.
Pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro, terkejut dengan chasis baharu diguna pakai apabila berjaya menyaingi juara dunia 2019, Marc Marquez.
Espargaro berjaya menyaingi catatan masa terpantas Marquez kurang tiga lap selepas menggunakan chasis baharu tersebut.
Pada hari pertama sesi ujian di Valencia, dia berjaya menamatkan sesi dengan catatan masa kelapan terpantas.
Bagaimanapun, sebaik menggunakan kerangk baharu, Espargaro berjaya menduduki tempat kedua dibelakang Marc Marquez.
Dia kemudiannya akui terkejut dengan keputusan itu.
“Ketika ujian sesi pagi, saya menunggang dengan chasis sama sebelum mengalami kemalangan.
“Kemudian, Brad (Binder) turut kemalangan jadi kami kehabisan jentera untuk diuji. Ketika itu lah saya diberikan jentera dengan kerangka baharu dan saya terus terpegun!
“Saya mencatat masa kedua terpantas di belakang Marquez. Jentera ini jauh lebih baik di bahagian selekoh dan memiliki cengkaman yang mantap,” jelasnya.
Menurut pelumba KTM, Johan Zarco, prestasi semasa rakan sepasukan Pol Espargaro menyamai era Casey Stoner ketika bersama Ducati pada 2007.
Espargaro, yang menyertai KTM pada 2017, merupakan pelumba utama di samping rakan sepasukan Bradley Smith selama dua tahun bersama jentera RC16.
Bagi tahun ini, kedudukan Smith kemudiannya digantikan dengan nama besar, Zarco – yang dicanang bakal mengangkat nama KTM ke peringkat lebih tinggi.
Namun sebaliknya berlaku apabila Espargaro yang bertanggungjawab mengutip 31 mata bagi kategori pengeluar musim ini di samping menduduki tempat keenam di GP Le Mans – catatan terbaik KTM musim ini.
“Jika cara saya membawa kebaikan kepada pelumba lain, saya gembira dengan situasi itu.
“Saat seperti ini mengingatkan saya kepada era Casey Stoner. Hanya dia yang berjaya melakar keputusan baik bersama Ducati pada 2007. Ketika ini, Pol (Espargaro) yang berada di depan berbanding pelumba lain.
“KTM juga gembira dengan keadaan semasa tetapi sudah tentu mereka lebih gembira jika kesemua pelumba dapat memberikan keputusan yang lebih baik,”jelas Zarco.
Sumber: Casey Stoner @ Twitter
Stoner menghabiskan masa empat tahun bersama Ducati di MotoGP dan muncul pelumba terbaik dihadapan rakan sepasukan lain – Loris Capirossi, Marco Melandri dan Nicky Hayden.
Dia merekodkan kejuaraan pertama Ducati di MotoGP pada 2007 dan merekodkan 23 daripada 24 kemenangan Ducati ketika itu.
Sementara itu, pelumba muda KTM Tech 3, Miguel Oliviera berkata, pencapaian Espargaro musim ini adalah dalam jangkaan.
“Dia telah bersama jentera KTM selama tiga tahun jadi keputusan yang dilakarnya ketika ini bukan satu kejutan.
“Ini adalah perkara positif buat kami semua dapat menyaksikan seorang pelumba yang berjaya ke depan. Ini membuktikan projek ini berada pada landasan yang betul,” ujarnya.
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.
KTM has launched all their MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 teams for 2019.
There will be two teams in MotoGP, but both are using the same bikes.
They are Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing.
KTM launched their MotoGP teams tonight. They are known as the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing teams, respectively.
The “all-in” event also included KTM teams, bikes and riders from Moto2 and Moto3 classes. Additionally, KTM is represented by two teams on factory machinery.
In one corner is the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, with Pol Espargaro and Johann Zarco as riders. This team’s KTM RC16 uses the traditional Red Bull KTM livery.
In the other corner is the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 Racing team, with our boy Hafizh Syahrin and Miguel Oliveira as riders. Their KTM RC16 are finished in a new orange, blue and silver livery. Hafizh promised during the special press conference and meet the fans session during the Sepang Winter Test, that the new livery will be replicated on a special edition KTM RC390 in Malaysia.
Both teams will contest on the factory KTM RC16, as the manufacturer is eager to collect twice the data in half the time in developing the bike. Although it still needs much development as Zarco said, Europe’s largest motorcycle maker could not shake their excitement.
After all, KTM’s morale and determination took a huge boost when Pol Espargaro put the bike on the podium for the first time last season in Valencia. Meanwhile, the retention of veteran KTM test rider Mika Kallio and signing of Dani Pedrosa as the new test rider will keep the program rolling at a high pace. Unfortunately, Pedrosa broke his collarbone and is out for three more months. However, KTM are allowed concessions for testing and development under MotoGP rules. Making full use of this leeway, KTM brought out several engines with different specs at Sepang.
The new bikes will hit the track from 20th February. Until then, let’s just enjoy the photos of the RC16 from both camps. All photos are from KTM and published in MotoGP.com.
Miguel Oliveira will graduate to MotoGP in 2019 after signing a new deal with the Tech 3 squad.
The 23-year-old Portuguese racer will be the first rider that will go through the entire Red Bull KTM system.
From Red Bull Rookies Cup all the way up to MotoGP, Oliveira has been a rising star which has given KTM a good number of wins in his career.
Current Moto2 championship contender Miguel Oliveira will be heading up to the premier MotoGP class in 2019. This was confirmed in Jerez last weekend when he signed a deal with the Tech 3 squad. Oliveira will also be the first rider to go through the entire Red Bull KTM system all the way up to MotoGP. (more…)
Pelumba KTM, Pol Espargaro, terkejut dengan chasis baharu diguna pakai apabila berjaya menyaingi juara dunia 2019, Marc Marquez.
