Category: MotoGP

29/01/18 Sepang MotoGP Test – Sepang International Circuit

When MotoGP riders arrived this morning to Sepang, they’ve found a damp track after overnight rain, but unlike yesterday the Malaysian sun was shining and the track surface dried up quickly. Before lunch time, Reale Avintia Racing riders were ready to jump on their bikes and continue working.
Tito Rabat improved again his rhthym and compared to the first day his race pace was a second faster. The former Moto2 World Champion has been working very well with his crew and improved in more than half a second his best lap time from the first day, even so, he wanted to improve a bit more at the end. In the 30 minutes went out with a new rear Michelin slick tyre for a time attack, pero a rain shower ruined his plan of improving his lap times.

Xavier Simeon has also taken a big step forward in his adaptation process to the MotoGP class. The Belgian rider, following the advice of the team and his ‘coach’ Ruben Xaus, is steadely improving his riding style bettering his time from yesterday by almost 1.5s. His goal for the winter test is not just make a fast lap, but to learn as much as possible before the MotoGP World Championship starts in Qatar next March.

“Today was a day to try many different things in the set up of the bike to see what we like and what we don’t like. I’m happy because we have clear which way to follow and although we didn’t complete many laps, all of them have been effective and have allowed us to test what we wanted to test. For tomorrow, if tonight doesn’t rain, the intention is to start early and try to improve the lap time but, to be honest, I’m happy with the pace we have and specially because I’m doing fast times riding on my own. We have to concentrate to make the most of the last day and if everything goes well I would like to do a race simulation”.

“I’m very happy because today we did a big step compared to yesterday, and even during the afternoon with used tyres I was able to improve. Every time I go out on track I feel better with the bike, every time I understand the tyres better, I’m changing my position and little by little and I’m riding more in the style requiered by a MotoGP machine; lifting the bike as soon as possible and trying to brake as late as possible. At the end of the day we put a set of fresh soft tyres to try to improve the lap times and, honestly, I expected to improve a bit more. Especially seeing how the other riders with the new tyre were doing a big improvement. I expected to be able to do the same, but it is clear that I still have many things to learn”.

The 2018 season started for Reale Avintia Racing today at the Sepang International Circuit. Tito Rabat and Xavi Simeon did their first run of the year on wet Michelin tyres due to the morning rain that left the track completely damp. With high humidity and the slow drying asphalt of Sepang, it took a while until the track was completely dry, so the riders had to wait until the afternoon to have normal conditions again.

Tito Rabat worked with the harder compound of Michelin’s allocation for this test throughout the day. The goal was to get the feeling back after two months without riding his Ducati. When he grabbed a new set of soft tyres for the last hour of the day, the Reale Avintia rider immediately improved his pace. Then he crashed at turn 5 and his day was finished. It was a shame because he was fast, his feeling was very good and he felt that was capable to improve his lap times, as all the other riders did in the last part of the day. Nevertheless, he expects to make another step forward tomorrow and continue his positive progression with the Ducati Desmosedici GP17.

For Xavier Simeon, the first day at Malaysia was good. After just four days of testing in Valencia and Jerez, the Belgian rider was focused on recovering the feeling with the bike to continue his adaptation to the premier class. In every exit, he did improved his pace and the best news was that his shoulder, which he injured towards the end of last year’s Moto2 season, didn’t cause any problems and he was able to complete 47 laps.

“I’m very happy to start the season and I felt very good on the bike. We worked all day with the medium rear tyre compound and at the end of the day we mounted the soft one and the feeling improved a lot. The problem is that we don’t have enough tyres and we’ll have to manage it fairly well in the next two days. It was a pity that I crashed when we started to go fast because this stopped me from improving further. But a lap time of 2’00 after the long winter break without riding the bike is pretty good and I’m very happy. The crash was silly, since I simply went too fast in that corner. But for tomorrow, I’m calm because I’ve seen that I can go fast and I feel very good with the bike”.

“I felt quite good today, but it’s true that I found it difficult to get used to the bike again on a track that is very different from Valencia and Jerez. Overall, I think we made a good step. We have been working all day with the same tyres and we just put a new set an hour and a half before the end, but although I haven’t been able to improve the pace, my feeling was good. All in all, today went a lot better than I expected. Tomorrow I hope to start from the base we have established today and improve a little more. Ten minutes from the end, when we had stopped, everyone else improved their times, but we have not reached that point yet. The important thing at the moment is to understand everything, to progress and not to make any mistakes. After so many years in Moto2 I have to change a lot of things, but with every additional lap on this bike, I feel more comfortable. I’m also happy because I worked very hard this winter to get back into shape after my shoulder injury and today the shoulder has not caused me any problem at all”.

Jerez MotoGP Test – Jerez Circuit

Reale Avintia Racing team completed a successful two-days test at Jerez Circuit in Spain. Following the first test in Valencia with the new 2018 riders, Tito Rabat and Xavier Siméon one week ago, the work continued for the Spanish team in the last two days in Jerez.

With sunny and warm conditions, Tito Rabat was one of the fastest riders on track riding his Ducati Desmosedici GP17 with really good pace. The Spaniard sat his fastest lap today in 1’38.387, only 0.5s from the Top 3 and he declared himself very happy with his speed. Rabat was the only MotoGP rider who was able to complete a full race simulation at Jerez and, although he still needs to improve the last few laps, the result was really positive.

The two-days test was also positive for Xavier Siméon. The Belgium rider still learning and adapting to the MotoGP class and he worked closely with the team and his coach, Ruben Xaus, to change his riding style to suit it to the demands of his Ducati GP16. During the course of the test he continued discovering the Michelin tyres and the bike, and although losing half a day yesterday due to a crash, he leaves Jerez happy with the job done.

Reale Avintia Racing riders will take a well-deserved break to get back to action in the first winter test of the season at the end of January at Sepang in Malaysia.

“I’m very happy because we have done a great test here in Jerez, I’m competitive and I have seen that I can be quick on one lap, but the most important thing is that I can do it many times and with constant pace. The bike it’s very competitive and I’m fit, so I’m super happy, but there are also some areas where we need to work on and that’s the last five laps of the race, but if I improve with the throttle, we can make a big step. I love the winglets and depending on the rider they are better or worse, but in my case they allow me to concentrate even more on the turns and I think that I will always use them. Now it’s time to work during the winter break to get strong and ready for Sepang. I’m going to do a cycling, gym, ride bikes and we also have some funny races ahead with ‘Julito’ (Simón), so I hope this two months pass fast to jump again in my Ducati. ”

“Yesterday I started very well and had very good feelings with the bike, in fact I inmediately did some good lap times, but halfway through the day I suffered a crash in turn five and lost the rest of the day because the bike was quite damaged. But the team has done a great job to repair it and today I’ve taken things more calmly; It was important to do a much laps as possible. I matched yesterday lap times quite easy, but then it was difficult for me to improve in the afternoon. In the last 20 laps we have improve the pace quite a lot and overall I’m happy. I have something clear and it’s that I need to change my riding style a lot to get the best out of the bike. Now it’s time to rest and recover because with all the bones that I’ve broken in the last few month I struggled a little bit this afternoon. I must to prepare and recover to the maximum to arrive in full fitness to Malaysia. “

15/11/17 Valencia MotoGP Test – Ricardo Tormo Circuit

The new Reale Avintia Racing team riders, Tito Rabat and Xavier Siméon completed the second and last day of the MotoGP test today in Valencia with very positive feelings.

Tito Rabat reapeted in 13^th position in the standings, but very happy as he felt more comfortable with the Ducati Desmosedici GP17 and his new technical crew. The former Moto2 World Champion has improved everytime he got on bike and managed ride around the 4km track with in really constant pace. Rabat set a lap in 1’31.386, more than a second his fastest lap in the race last Sunday and only two tenths slower than his qualifying laptime during the las GP.

His team mate Xavier Siméon has also repeated the final position of the first day, but cutted his best laptime more than 1.5s. The Belgian rider continued working to learn more about the use of electronics and the Michelin tyres, as well as getting used to the high speed and hard braking of his Desmosedici GP16. But the area where he focused more was his riding style and his position on the bike.

Reale Avintia Racing riders will be back to action next week at Jerez, where they will complete the last two days of testing of the 2017 season.

“It was another very positive day because we have improved the lap times a little bit, but the most important thing is that we have made a constant pace in mid 1’31. I felt very good on the bike, and I’m very happy with my new team and with the bike. Now it’s time to organize everything a bit and review all the data of this test to continue working next week in Jerez, I can’t wait to get back on my Desmosecidi and keep improving. ”

“I’m very happy because today has been a very good day of testing and I’ve been able to progress much more than I expected. We have worked hard to improve my position on the bike and I’m very happy with the way we have planed the job today. These first two days of testing in MotoGP have been incredible and now I just want to keep improving. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I’m already looking forward to go to Jerez and continue learning more about the bike, the tyres and the premier class. “

15/11/17 Valencia (Spain)

It’s a pleasure for Reale Avintia Racing Team to announce its comeback to the Moto3 class in 2018 with Stylobike and Livio Loi. The Belgian rider will be the sole rider of the team, riding a KTM RC250R, and he is confident to be fighting for top results from the first race of the season in Qatar. Team Stylobike owner, Valeriano Rodríguez and Esponsorama CEO, Raúl Romero, joined forces to make this project possible and both are excited and confident of achieving great success.

The 20-year-old rider has plenty of experience in the Moto3 World Championship. He made his World Championship debut back in 2013 and two years later he took his maiden victory at Indianapolis. He achieved several top ten finishes during this season and celebrated a fantastic second place in Phillip Island last month. Backed with the huge experience of Reale Avintia Racing and Stylobike, Loi wants to make another step forward in 2018, with the aim to fight at the top in every race.

At Valencia, the team also signed a contract with 13-year-old Barry Baltus, who will be riding for Reale Avintia Academy team in the Moto3 FIM CEV next season. Barry is another Belgian rider supported by Zelos Management. He expects to learn and improve a lot next year and to get ready for the future.

“First, I would like to thank Reale Avintia Racing Stylobike and my management team in Zelos, because they have made a great effort and worked hard to push ahead with this project. Joining such a strong team with so much experience in MotoGP gives me confidence to do a great job next year in Moto3. Reale Avintia, Stylobike, KTM and Zelos are a great combination and I hope to be fighting at the top in the championship”.

“We had a good oportunity to come back to Moto3 class with Valeriano Rodríguez and Stylobike, so we took joined forces to run this project together. After signing up Xavi Siméon for our team in MotoGP and following several meetings with Freddy Tacheny, we decided to bet on Belgian motorcycling and work together with Zelos to help Belgian motorcycling grow. Livio Loi has been in the Moto3 World Championship for several years and I’m sure that next season will be his confirmation as one of the top riders. Barry Baltus has a great future, he is very young and in our academy at the FIM CEV, he will be able to learn and grow as a rider.”

“As Raul said, Team Stylobike will start a new chapter for 2018 season with a great team as Reale Avintia Racing. We join forces and all our experience to run this new project with Livio Loi in the Moto3 class. To be honest, I think that this is a very good project and I’m sure that with the knowhow of both structures we will be able to fight at the top in Moto3.”

“I’m very happy to be part of Reale Avintia Racing because it is a very professional team. We sealed the deal with Xavier Siméon in MotoGP some time ago and I believe that the collaboration between Reale Avintia and Zelos will be very fruitful. Livio has shown in the last part of the year that he has a lot of potential and I’m sure that with KTM and the Reale Avintia Racing Stylobike, he has a great opportunity to be in top championship positions next season.”

14/11/17 Valencia MotoGP Test – Circuit Ricardo Tormo

The 2018 MotoGP season started for the Reale Avintia Racing team at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit today, with its new riders Tito Rabat and Xavi Siméon. The debut was very different for both riders: For the 2014 Moto2 World Champion Rabat, it was only a change of bike manufacturer, while for Siméon, everything was new.
Tito Rabat completed a total of 70 laps and, despite suffering a small crash in the morning, his feelings with the Ducati Desmosedici GP17 were very positive. The Spaniard finished the first day 13^th, just 1.4s behind the fastest rider, but he didn’t really push hard to set a fast lap time. Tomorrow, Rabat plans to test the different fairing configurations available and to work on the set-up of the bike to improve the turning in the slower corners.
For his teammate Xavi Siméon, everything was new today, the bike, the brakes, the tyres, the team… The Belgian rider finished the day with a big smile and, although he could not do many laps due to the discomfort in his shoulder, he was able to discover the essentials of his Ducati Desmosedici GP16. He was impressed by the carbon brakes and the top speed, but what has really left him frozen is the incredible grip of the Michelin tyres.

“I had very positive feelings on my first day with the Ducati and with the team. With the team, I felt good from the beginning and we connected very well, but above all, I love the bike. I rode by myself all day and I managed to clock a good lap time, but the best part was that I was able to keep a good and constant rhythm. Today we didn’t use many tyres and I’ve just been riding around the circuit to get the feeling with the bike. I was impressed by the power of the Ducati, but also by the smooth power delivery. Tomorrow, I want to keep improving little by little and if I get down to a lap time of 1’30, it would be perfect.”

“The first day was incredible. I’m very happy and excited with my MotoGP debut. The team gave me a lot of confidence and since yesterday they explained every detail of the bike. Today, we took things calmly and step by step. I experienced the carbon brakes for the first time, which was incredible, incredible, but we also worked a lot with electronics. All in all, it has been a great day. I didn’t complete many laps because my shoulder hurts more than I thought, but I’ll rest tonight to come back stronger tomorrow. I hope to continue enjoying and progressing. My technical team is incredible and they are helping me a lot. The power of the bike is impressive, but the most incredible thing is the grip of the Michelin tyres, especially the front. I think it will be hard for me to find the limit.”

The last race of the year is always special for everyone, but this Grand Prix of Valencia was even more special for the riders of Reale Avintia Racing Team. For both Hector Barbera and Loris Baz, the weekend meant the final showdown with the Spanish team, which culminated in an intense day of racing.
Barbera was in his home race and expected to say goodbye to the team with a good result. He crossed the finish line in 15^th place and scored another world championship point, just ahead of his teammate in Reale Avintia, Loris Baz. The Frenchman, who rode a big part of the race within the point rankings, enjoyed the fight with Barbera on the last laps and although he wasn’t able to beat him, he had a great time racing.
Everyone in the Reale Avintia Racing team wishes Hector and Loris the very best for the future. They are two great riders, but above all they are two great guys. We’ll be your biggest fans in Moto2 and World Superbike!

“This last race was no different to all the others this season and although the result wasn’t good once again, racing in front of the fans in Valencia is always something incredible. I’ll miss the team, but this weekend didn’t feel like a farewell or the end of something, it was the beginning of a new chapter in my career. I want to thank the team, especially Raúl (Romero), Bocha (Escobar) and the rest of the people who helped to achieve great things in the last five seasons. I also have to thank all the sponsors, especially Avintia, because they have always been there supporting us. This year wasn’t the dream season we had hoped to experience, instead it has been very hard for everyone. Now our paths separate, but I’m sure we’ll meet again in the future.”

“It was a difficult race, but it was the same for all Ducatis. I fought to the end with Hector, as we did almost all season, and I loved it because it showed the spirit of our team. It was a fun race altogether. I had a hard time to overtake Van Der Mark, but in the end and after touching several times, I did it. I got away and then fought with Hector during the last few laps. He passed me, I passed him again in the last corner, but accelerating out of the last turn he passed me again. I let him win because he was racing at home…just joking! It’s a bit sad that both riders leave the team, but we both know that next year we’ll have options to fight for the podium, which will motivate us a lot.”

The sun was shining again at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit today and the MotoGP riders enjoyed excellent conditions in the last free and qualifying practice sessions of the season. However, Reale Avintia Racing team riders Hector Barbera and Loris Baz did not have the confidence to do a fast lap on the 4.0km circuit in Q1 and tomorrow they will start the race from 20^th and 23^rd place, respectively.
Tomorrow’s race will be the last of the year and also the last for Barbera and Baz with Reale Avintia Racing. Both riders worked all day to improve their race pace and to overcome their problems with the aim of finishing their time in the MotoGP class and their work with the team in the best possible way. The local rider is very optimistic and in the past we have seen him making big comebacks in the races, while Baz aims to climb positions during the race to score some points.

“It was not the best qualifying of the year, but at least we are the first Desmosedici GP16 and we are ahead of Bautista and Redding. Today we did the same lap times that we did during the winter tests, so we have not made any progress this year with the bike. But I’m happy because I gave my best to improve during the season. I’m confident for the race. I knew in advance that I could not make a fast lap with this bike, but our race pace is not bad and we still can get a good result.”

“Today was as difficult as yesterday. We knew that we would have problems here and we tried many things, but with those changes, we are still within the same lap times. We didn’t manage to take the step forward that we thought. The only good thing is that we have improved our pace a little bit, but I don’t know if it is enough to be in the points tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.”

Action started today at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit and Reale Avintia Racing riders Hector Barbera and Loris Baz started to work on the set-up of their Ducati ahead of the 30-lap-race on Sunday. For Barbera, the last GP of the season is his home race and after testing three different settings on his bike, he managed to improve considerably from the morning to the afternoon. The Spaniard finished 18^th in the combined free practice times, but was close to the top ten. He hopes to make another step forward tomorrow and to improve his position on the grid.

For Loris Baz, the first day has been more difficult. The Ricardo Tormo circuit has never been an easy track for Ducati and Baz is struggling to put in a fast lap. Nevertheless, he focused on the set-up for the race and worked on the race pace to be competitive on Sunday.

The first two free practice sessions were held in bright sunshine and for tomorrow, the forecast is just as good as today.

“It’s been a weird day that hasn’t gone as we expected. But we are close, because with an improvement of just two tenths we would have been in the top 10. We have to improve a lot for the race and even more on a special weekend like this one. We continue trying different ideas and from this morning to this afternoon we have had three different bikes. We found something that allows us to improve by half a second, so I hope we can go well in qualifying tomorrow. This weekend is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. On one hand I’m sad because the MotoGP era is over for me, but on the other hand, this year has been the most difficult season of my career”.

“This circuit has always been tricky for this bike and we knew this before coming here. This morning didn’t go well at all. We tried something but it was not an improvement. In the afternoon though, it seems that have found the right direction. We are not so bad, because we are just 1.4s behind Lorenzo, who was the fastest rider today. Hector and Alvaro are right in front of me…but the track layout is not good for this bike. Tomorrow we’ll try to find the best possible pace for Sunday. Let’s see if we can do better in the race thanks to a good pace, because a single fast lap is impossible at the moment.”