Productive first day of testing for Simon and Forés at Valencia

Originally scheduled as a private test, there were finally four teams signing up in the end for some more days of testing at the Valencian circuit near Cheste. Regardless of that the track still was almost empty and away from the frenzy of a Grand Prix weekend the riders were able to work really well. The track was open from 10AM to 5PM without interruptions. And the few riders making the trip to Valencia have used their time well, aware of the constant threat of rain throughout the day. And especially considering that weather forecasts predict rain for tomorrow, the second day of testing at the track.

Just two months ago the MAPFRE Aspar riders were at the Cheste circuit in preparation for the 2011 season and it already seems like an eternity. With two races of the current season behind them, Julian Simon and Xavi Forés had an extensive day of testing during which both tried to improve their feelings on the Suter. The main goal for the two MAPFRE Aspar riders has been to improve the stability of their bikes, focusing on the setting of the chassis, to get the bike more and more comfortable and reliable. Simon managed to match his laptime record from the winter at the middle of the day while Xavi Forés improved his laptimes and both concluded the day happy and eager to continue testing tomorrow, depending on the weather.

Julián Simón 1.35.90 (66 laps): “Today was a very productive day where we had the opportunity to try different things. I’m back to feeling good with the bike and we were able to assess the configurations we tested during the preseason and in the first two races of the year. Today we found a package with which I feel very comfortable. The bike gave me a very good feeling throughout the day. We also had a pretty fast pace throughout the day and consistently so, like during the winter. I am satisfied because we did many laps, we wanted to take advantage in case it rains tomorrow, as it’s forecast. Let’s see if the progress we experienced today can be confirmed tomorrow and in Estoril.”

Xavi Forés 1.37.00 (77 laps): “Because of the risk of rain tomorrow we packed a lot of our work in this first day. It’s been a very positive day where we tried several things that were still open and some of them really have worked well. Today I felt very comfortable riding. I did runs of eight laps at a steady pace which wasn’t easy for me before. Mainly we did tests with the clutch and also tried to gain stability under braking. Of course we also did tests with the chassis to improve cornering and grip. I’m happy because I improved my laptime from our last visit to Cheste.

Source: Mapfre Aspar Team