Breaking news
MotoGP Austrian GP
KTM could switch to "much better" '19 prototype by Austria
KTM is making a "big effort" to provide its works riders with the 2019 prototype MotoGP bike that impressed at Jerez as early as August's Red Bull Ring round, according to Pol Espargaro.
Valentin Khorounzhiy
Edited: May 9, 2018, 2:56 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Test rider Mika Kallio rode the new version of the RC16 in the Spanish Grand Prix and finished ahead of full-time KTM works riders Espargaro and Bradley Smith on their current-spec bikes.
Espargaro, who is convinced the new bike is a marked improvement, says he doesn't want to “waste more time” with the old version – but says KTM can't yet make the switch for its full-timers due to engine-related time constraints and homologation rules.
“KTM is trying, they are going to make a big effort to give to us for maybe Spielberg but as soon as Spielberg, not earlier,” Espargaro said.
“Honestly I don't want to waste more time with that bike [the old one], I think the potential is really big on the new one.”
Espargaro, who finished 11th to Kallio's 10th in Jerez, said he anticipated the outcome – but admitted it was “not nice” to be outrun by the test rider.
“We could imagine the result,” the Spaniard said. “From the first day [of practice] I exited behind Mika and I think testing with him [at Jerez] one month ago - and when I test the bike I was surely half a second faster than myself, changing the bikes.
“When the conditions were more tricky, with low grip on the track, the new bike works much better.
“I am happy for that. It is not nice that Mika, the test rider, beat us, but is a pretty good sign that the new things coming are working good.”
Kallio, who said he enjoyed being “the clear fastest KTM” in the Spanish GP, explained that the prototype bike's strongest point was its consistency over a race distance – even if it struggled for initial grip on fresh rubber.
“Maybe at the beginning I was struggling a little bit more than compared to my teammates about the grip level on the rear, it was not so easy to follow them,” he said.
“Then lap by lap I saw that, from the first lap till the last lap, the pace was exactly the same so that is really good.
“I saw the other guys started to struggle more with the grip, especially coming out of the corners they were spinning a little more than me.
“That is I think really good point of the new bike even if there is some negative things. Everything is so new at the moment so we need to work more and see if we can find some [fix] for those problems.”
Kallio will make the next of his planned five 2018 wildcard appearances in June's Barcelona race, where conditions are likely to be similar to Jerez and where Espargaro believes the current-spec bikes will once again “suffer” compared to the prototype.
Additional reporting by Lena Buffa
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Aprilia failure rate "unacceptable" - Espargaro
Next article Redding fears time “running out” to prove himself to Aprilia
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Valentin Khorounzhiy
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
WTCR
WTCR
Hungaroring
WTCR's April opener cancelled due to coronavirus
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Australian GP issues update on nine F1 paddock coronavirus tests
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
General
General
Motorsport Games unveils 15 disciplines for 2020
More from
Pol Espargaro
Pedro Acosta backed to win KTM’s home MotoGP race - “if there’s a place, it’s here”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Austrian GP
Pedro Acosta backed to win KTM’s home MotoGP race - “if there’s a place, it’s here”
Tech3 confirms Pol Espargaro for Austrian GP as Vinales' replacement
MotoGP
MotoGP
Austrian GP
Tech3 confirms Pol Espargaro for Austrian GP as Vinales' replacement
Pol Espargaro warns 'MotoGP riders not aware of the change coming with 2027 tyres'
MotoGP
MotoGP
Pol Espargaro warns 'MotoGP riders not aware of the change coming with 2027 tyres'
More from
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
KTM sees MotoGP 2027 as a fresh start: “We never had the chance to build a new bike”
MotoGP
MotoGP
KTM sees MotoGP 2027 as a fresh start: “We never had the chance to build a new bike”
Latest news
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
31 min
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe