14.03.2016

KTM Moto3 teams READY TO RACE after final IRTA test in Qatar

Moto3 Announcement

KTM Moto3 Line-Up Qatar 2016 © Gigi Soldano KTM Media Library

This press release has: 6 Images

The twelve KTM-mounted Moto3 riders for the 2016 season are now ready for the first race at the Losail International Circuit next weekend. Teams completed official IRTA tests both in Jerez and a further three days on the Qatar circuit, which hosts the season’s opener. Tests showed encouraging results for the KTM riders with six in the top ten fastest in this final round.

Teams tested during three daily sessions from Friday to Sunday. Most however concentrated on saving tires and working to find ideal race conditions under the Qatar circuit floodlights ahead of the race this weekend. Following three long days of tests, the combined timesheets showed half of the KTM riders in the top ten with Fabio Quartararo registering the third fastest lap time on the KTM RC250 GP.

Fabio Quartararo (Leopard Racing): “At the beginning we did a good job with some difficult small adjustments. I’m really very happy with the bike at the end of the tests even though I had a crash right at the end. I don’t have a concrete goal for the first race because naturally we all want to win. I just want to have fun and improve step-by-step.”

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo): “I’m ready for the start of the season. The feeling on the motorcycle with the medium tires is already very good and I set my fastest lap time with them. It was only with the soft tires that I wasn’t able to put in an ideal lap. The worst you can do in the first race of the season is to lose, so let’s see where I am after the last round.”

Romano Fenati (Sky Racing Team VR46): “Basically I’m satisfied but we have some work in front of us before the first race. We’ll take a good look at the data we collected during the tests and try to improve the settings even more so I’ll be ready for the first race. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up a lot of points.”

The teams and riders stay in Qatar for the next three days before the traditional start of the first free practice under floodlights in the first of the 18-round Moto3 World Championship 2016.

Combined Results Moto3 IRTA Test Qatar 2016
1. Niccolo Antonelli (ITA), Honda, 2:05:444 min
2. Livio Loi (BEL), Honda, +0.217 sec
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA), KTM, +0.273
4. Jorge Navarro (ESP), Honda, +0.340
5. Brad Binder (RSA), KTM, +0.361
Other KTM
6. Nicolò Bulega (ITA), KTM, +0.372
8. Romano Fenati (ITA), KTM, +0.812
9. Joan Mir (ESP), KTM, +0.812
10. Philipp Oettl (ESP), KTM, +0.814
12. Juanfran Guevara (ESP), KTM, +0.866
14. Bo Bendsneyder (NED), KTM, +0.956
15. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), KTM, +1.022
16. Gabriel Rodrigo (ESP), +1.024
18. Maria Herrera (ESP), KTM, +1.284
21. Andrea Migno (ITA), KTM, +1.473

KTM Moto3 Line-Up 2016

Red Bull KTM Ajo
#41 Brad Binder (RSA)
#64 Bo Bendsneyder (NED)

SKY Racing Team VR46
#5 Romano Fenati (ITA)
#8 Nicolò Bulega (ITA)
#16 Andrea Mignon (ITA)

Leopard Racing
#20 Fabio Quartararo (FRA)
#36 Joan Mir (ESP)
#55 Andrea Locatelli (ITA)

RBA Racing Team
#19 Gabriel Rodrigo (ESP)
# 58 Juanfran Guevara (ESP)

Schedl GP Racing
#65 Philipp Oettl (GER)

Laglisse
#6 Maria Herrera (ESP)

www.motogp.com
www.ktm.com | media.ktm.com
Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram