The 2022 KTM MotoGP effort swung into action for the first time this year with a comprehensive week of work at the Sepang International Circuit recently.
The opening appointment of the racing calendar represented the first of two pre-season tests before the Grand Prix of Qatar on March 6.
KTM accumulated almost 380 laps through Saturday and Sunday (February 5 and 6 respectively) between the four riders. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder (18th on combined times) and Miguel Oliveira (15th) assessed new parts and ideas for the 2022 RC16 and further development after the final test outing of 2021 at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto in Spain.
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing had an even busier schedule: rookies Raul Fernandez (19th) and Remy Gardner (23rd) filled a three-day ‘shakedown’ prior to the two official days at the fast and hot Sepang layout. Sunday was curtailed prematurely due to the typically unstable Malaysian climate. Heavy rainfall marked the end of the session by mid-afternoon but both Binder and Oliveira completed a few circulations in the wet.
MotoGP now moves onto the new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia for a three-day test from February 11 and the final chance to work on configuration before the Losail International Circuit beckons next month.
“These last two days have been a challenge. We needed some more time to make the most out of the package.
We have some small changes to the bike and we have the same performance as last year so now we need to explore, try different set-ups and balances to see what works further. It was about getting up the speed after the break and then we didn’t have that much time this morning before the weather cut things short.
“I did a few laps in the wet and everything felt good. Overall, I feel we have a lot of potential. We need to work more to extract it,” said Brad.
Sepang official test:
1. Enea Bastianini (ITA), Ducati 1:58.131
2. Aleix Espargaro (ESP), Aprilia 1:58.157
3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 1:58.243
4. Alex Rins (ESP) Suzuki 1:58.261
5. Maverick Viñales (ESP) Aprilia 1:58.261
15. Miguel Oliveira (POR) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:58.701
18. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1:59.016
19. Raul Fernandez (ESP) Tech3 KTM Factory Racing 1:59.180
23. Remy Gardner (AUS) Tech3 KTM Factory Racing 1:59.348
