Pons and Espargaro relishing intense testing schedule
On Saturday the first official Moto2 preseason test concluded at Valencia and with also an intense week for the Pons Racing teammates Aleix Espargaró and Axel Pons. Both started 2011 strongly, racking up five days of testing in just six days. First at Montmeló on Monday and Tuesday and then from Thursday to Saturday in Valencia, where the other riders of the category joined them on the track track. A week with a very positive result. Although they are not working with the official engines yet, Espargaró and Pons were able to work with the new version of the Pons Kalex, with some modifications which enabled them to work on a few of the problems that came up during the first season of the prototype.
After the first contact in Barcelona and a first day also at Cheste they now approach the championship season, Pons and Espargaró have accumulated many miles with a steady and high rhythm and good laptimes which make them very optimistic about the development in the rest of the preseason. Espargaró ha confirmado que va a ser uno de las referencias de la categoría intermedia, mientras que Pons ha ratificado la línea ascendente en la que terminó la pasada temporada. Espargaró showed that he will be one of the references in the class while Pons picked up his positive development from the end of last season.
But there’s no time to rest, the two riders will travle to Lisbon today to take part in the second official Moto2 test that will take place at the Estoril circuit from Tuesday to Thursday. A good opportunity to continue a good foundation for the beginning of the championship on April 20th in Qatar.
#40. Aleix Espargaró: 1’36’1: “I’m happy with the work we’ve done. It was a bit of a strange week because we are not used to ride that much. In six days we had five to test which is not bad. At first we started a little slow due to not being on the bike for such a long time and then I had some problems with the front chattering which is the point we have worked the most on over these days. We evolved well in general and I could ride fast, not the fastest, but with a very good pace. This allows me to go home happy and above all makes me eager to continue the preseason. Well, if only I actually had a day to rest before we go to Portugal to continue the preseason … But not to stop is very good: it’s almost like a race against time before we arrive at the Qatar test. Let’s see if we can do good laptimes in Portugal and especially if we continue to find the problems and solutions that allow us to arrive in the best possible position to start the championshop because that is what the preseason about.”
# 80. Axel Pons: 1’36’6: “It’s been very intense days and it will continue to be like that, because in no time we are going to Portugal. I could do many laps and above all progress every day, solving problems and improving my laptimes both in Catalunya and in Valencia. The comparison to the other riders is good, although there are big differences between the engines and overall we don’t know the reality yet. I feel that since the end of last season, including the two races in the CEV, we are on the way up. Every time I feel more comfortable, plus I get along very well with my teammate. Between us and our technical crew we are improving with the bike and getting a very good base to start the championship. That is important. I feel very good physically and I’m looking forward to start testing in Estoril. Hopefully we have a good time there, because it will be another important test.”
Source: Pons Racing
