MotoGP Test Qatar – Losail International Circuit
The last test of the preseason finished today at the Losail International Circuit and Reale Avintia Racing team riders, Tito Rabat and Xavier Simeon, are ready to start the new championship in two weeks.
Apart from that, Rabat and Simeon declared themselves satisfied with the work done during these days and both are already looking forward to return to Losail to start the first race weekend of the year. Homework is done and in two weeks the good starts.
The Spaniard improved again his race pace and, although he also improved his fastest lap, his rivals have also went faster on the last day and he finished the test 19th overall and 1.4 seconds of the frontrunners. He must continue working on the fast lap, but Rabat is confident that with its pace, the race in 15 days will be very different.
His teammate Xavi Simeon also took a big step with the pace and his fast lap today, it was a shame that, when he had more confidence and was pushing with soft Michelin tyres he crashed out in turn 15. Even so the MotoGP ‘rookie’ is happy and willing to debut on this same circuit in two weeks.
Today, the riders finished with an unprecedented test in Qatar and, the 24 of the MotoGP rode in wet conditions in the last 30 minutes of the session and under the flloodlights of the Losail International Circuit. The feelings of the riders have been positive.
“It was a very good test, especially the race pace. I think we are very good in that sense, but honestly, in the fast lap we still have a few tenths to find out to get closer to the top ten. There are just three or four tenths but working more during the race weekend I’m sure that we will make it happen. We worked very well; we completed a good test and now we have to concentrate for the race. I really want to start the season. We haven’t race for a long time now and we want this to start the season and to do it good”.
“Today I’m very happy with the feeling, we improved my confidence with the bike and now I can feel better the bike. I’m very satisfied with my rhythm; at the end when we went out with a new tyre, I was not able to improve my lap because I crashed. Anyway compared with the rest of the riders, I still need to improve a lot in this sense, but very happy with the race pace. Now I ride in 56 lows, even with used tyres, and this is a very good sign. Today I really have fun on the bike. Now I start to understand more everything, to ride more naturally. In two weeks time the serious stuff starts. I don’t want to put more pressure than usual. I’ll try to follow the line of progression. If I can follow the same dynamic as in this test we can make a good weekend in the first GP”.
