The opinions after the last Aragon test

Anyone who closely observed the last two years noticed a significant increase of the Yamaha team leader 2020 in Aragon compared to the previous year on Puccetti Kawasaki. Some reporters had apparently missed this and dubbed a failed double race by Toprak. The Turk scored 8 points in 2019 and one season later on the Yamaha there were 21 on the first weekend and even 23 and thus almost three times as many on the second. The explanation for this phenomenon is relatively simple, as many portals report from home, while we were there not only in Aragon, but also in Australia in 2020. And of course from the good room at home you don’t notice a lot of what’s going on, on the track and in the paddock. We wanted to know from the Yamaha guys what kind of impression they had about the test two weeks before the start of the season and the answers below.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx) – during the test in Aragon, the Turk finally got back to driving on the second morning of the test in Barcelona after his premature termination due to a positive Corona test.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (175 laps): “I was absolutely thrilled to be back on my Yamaha R1 after a long wait! The first day was okay, I really enjoyed driving, but the second day was a positive improvement after trying out some new parts to find a good set-up for the first race. I felt like the lap times on the race tires were excellent, but as always, we have to see what happens in the races. I think I’m stronger this year, I wasn’t quick on this track last year, but this time I’ve improved physically and mentally. The conditions were quite hot and testing some new parts in these conditions and finding some improvements is good preparation. Now we have to put together the best package, but I’m happy to be back, and I feel ready for the first race. “

Toprak Razgatlioglu photographed by us after his first race for Pata Yamaha on February 29, 2020, in Phillip Island (Australia). You couldn’t start the new season better than the young Turk, but the next day, through no fault of his own, he was unlucky when he stopped with too little gasoline in the tank.

Andrea Locatelli (174 laps): “On the second day it was better than on the first day and in general the feeling of my R1 is good so far. We worked a lot and tried different setups. We also worked a long time to understand the performance over a race distance. It was very good for me to do this because it is important. This track has not been easy for Yamaha in the past, so I want to work and try to understand where I can improve. The last test here wasn’t so good for me, but now the feeling is better, something like I had in Barcelona or Misano. I know my first race in WorldSBK won’t be easy, at least that’s what I expect, but I want to learn and improve. During the race weekend we have a lot less track time, but maybe I can follow other drivers and learn more. Maybe I’ll be able to fight a little on Saturday during the first race. The weekend of the first race with the emotion and energy will definitely drive me a lot compared to testing. “

Andrea Locatelli (Bardahl Evan Bros Yamaha R6) photographed by US on March 1st in his first WorldSSP 600 race of the 2020 season at Turn 4 called Honda Corner in Phillip Island. The Italian dominated the season almost at will and as world champion received a contract with the Yamaha works team. Behind him is Lucas Mahias and, with the number 5, his Puccetti Kawasaki team-mate Phillip Öttl. The Frenchman will also be competing in WorldSBK for his team in 2021.

The overview of the best Aragon test times until May 5th:
1. Jonathan Rea (GB), Kawasaki, 1:48.528 (absolute lap record from the SP 2020: 1:48.767 by J. Rea)
2. Alex Lowes (GB), Kawasaki, 1:49.182
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (TR), Yamaha, 1:49.763
4. Tom Sykes (GB), BMW, 1:49,857
5. Chaz Davies (GB), Ducati, 1:49.913 min
6. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha), 1:50.577
7. Eugene Laverty (IRL), BMW, 1:50.604
8. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), Yamaha, 1:50.702
9. Michael van der Mark (NL), BMW, 1:50,781
10. Jonas Folger (D), BMW, 1:50.815
11. Isaac Vinales (E), Kawasaki, 1:51.724
12. Kohta Nozane (JAP), (GRT Yamaha), 1:52,254
13. Chris Ponsson (F), (Alstare Yamaha), 1:52.946

Our shot towards the hinterland of the racetrack from Aragon, there is no major city in a radius of over an hour is Alcaniz.

Paul Denning – Team Principal Pata Yamaha with Brixx: “The weather in Aragón was much friendlier for this test. We had two wonderful sunny days and the opportunity to drive over 1,750 kilometers and improve our performance on this route. It was excellent to have Toprak back on the bike after his forced absence, and immediately he was able to find his rhythm and his performance potential in MotorLand Aragón compared to last year on both the Pirelli SC0 racing tire and the SCX for the Superpole Race significantly improve. The racing simulation wasn’t quite as good as we’d hoped, but it was an improvement on 2020 and gave us some really important information on what to do next. On the other hand, as a rookie in the WorldSBK class, Andrea Locatelli has a lot to learn. His third visit to Aragón was the best test so far. It’s a difficult balance when a rider has to learn how to get the most out of the superbike in terms of technology and also improve the machine from a technical point of view. We know Aragón will be a challenging event to start the WSBK World Championship in 2021, and we look forward to coming back here and see what we can achieve. “

How it goes on

HRC Honda is currently the last team to test with Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam in Aragon and in a good two weeks it will be on the track for the WSBK’s first test of strength. Just a week later, the Autodromo do Estoril in Portugal will continue. After that, some teams have planned a test in Navarra before heading to the Adriatic Sea in Misano for the third round. There it is currently planned to allow a presumably limited number of visitors on the route. Below is the provisional calendar in its last edition, whereby the overseas races in italics are still considered very questionable.

May 22nd – MotorLand Aragón, Spain
May 29 – Circuito do Estoril, Portugal
June 12th – Misano World Circuit, Italy
July 3rd – Donington Park, England
July 24th – TT Circuit Assen, Netherlands
August 7th – Autodrom Most, Czech Republic
August 21 – Circuito de Navarra, Spain
September 4th – Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France
September 18th – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
September 25th – Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, Spain
October 2nd – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal
October 16 – Circuito San Juan Villicum, Argentina
November 13 – Mandalika International Street Circuit, Indonesia

Motorland Aragon track map

We will shortly be bringing the first preliminary report to the season opener and before that some “delicacies” on the sidelines.

Unless otherwise mentioned, applies to all images (© WorldSBK).