Axel Pons continues development for Kalex with wind tunnel test in Germany
While most people are thinking about their well-deserved Christmas holiday, German engineering company Kalex organized a wind tunnel test day on December 16th in the technical development center of Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, Germany.
The Pons Kalex has proven to be one of the best bikes in the newly created Moto2 class, being regularly fastest of the category. Without a doubt these results have not come just by chance, but because of good planning and a meticulous effort and dedication from the whole team. Continuing with this work philosophy and with the goal to continue improving the evolution of the bike with an eye on next season, the German Kalex engineers together with the technicians of the 40 Tenerife Pons team are going for a clear strategy of innovation, analysis and development.
Therefore, in a long day that went until past midnight, rider Axel Pons tested 15 different aerodynamic configurations on the Pons Kalex in the generated 180km/h wind.
Axel Pons, with a height of 180 cm and a similar build as his teammate Aleix Espargaró, tested different configurations for the rider position. The test results have been incorporated to the chain of development of the Pons Kalex and will already be taken out on track in the first test of the 2011 season next February.
#80. Axel Pons: “I’d like to thank Kalex for offering me this chance to be in the wind tunnel with them. It was an incredible experience. I believe that the tests we were doing are going to help us, so that next year’s bike will be even better than the one from 2010 and that we can therefore fight for the top positions. I can’t wait for the test in February and test out on track all the developments they are working on in Germany.”
Alex Baumgärtel. Kalex Engineer: “It was a very positive experience to work with Axel Pons and Stefan Bradl in the wind tunnel. It takes a lot of professionalism on the part of the rider to sit on the bike in race position for hours, facing wind at a speed of 180km/h. I’d like to thank them for their work to develop the Pons Kalex outside the circuit. It was very good to go into the wind tunnel with Axel to finish his first season in Moto2 with Sito Pons and his team. We have to thank the team for their hospitality, professionalism and the good relation that we have with all of them and for believing in Kalex from the start. Now we hope to improve for 2011 in every aspect, to work hard and to achieve our goal together: winning races.”
Sito Pons, Team Manager: “After finishing this season which was the first one for Moto2, I think we can feel satisfied because our bike has always been at a very good level. This was thanks to the motivation and the effort of each of the team members, as well as the development and analyis which we planned meticulously together with the Kalex engineers. Continuing with the established schedule we had and intense day in the Volkswagen wind tunnel which I’m convinced will bring us important improvements for our bike with the goal to give our riders all the possibilities to compete at the highest level.”
Source: 40 Tenerife Pons
