SRT going great guns in testing
far as testing is concerned, Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (SRT), Malaysia’s first-ever team in MotoGP, have got off to a flying start.
Rookie Fabio Quartararo, who is riding alongside Franco Morbidelli for SRT this year, hit the ground running in the first two tests at Valencia (12th position) and Jerez (17th) last month and is looking forward to the upcoming shakedown at Sepang on Feb 1-3.
“We are a new team but we have professionals (crew and officials) who are very experienced in the MotoGP World Championship, which at the end of the day is the most important thing.
“The first (two) tests went very well, I felt very comfortable with the whole team.
“I am looking forward to getting the winter break over with, so we can get back and work again,” said the Frenchman.
“I have a tough winter planned with a very physical training programme, to make sure I am 100 per cent ready in February when pre-season (testing) resumes at Sepang.
“We already saw this year at Sepang how the fans got behind the Malaysian riders during the Grand Prix.
“We are excited to go back there and feel their support, to be able to ride in front of them with the new colours on our bikes. It will be a very special occasion for the team.”
Quartararo, who at 19 will be the youngest rider competing in the premier class next year, added that he is surprised by the huge hike in power the Yamaha YZR-M1 possesses compared to what he was used to in Moto2.
“Even though, I was expecting it, the power still surprised me, especially over the opening few laps. You get up to 300km/h very quickly.
“Little by little I got used to the speed, although I still have some way to go. But definitely the most striking thing was the carbon brakes.
“You get back down to 50km/h much quicker than on a Moto2 yet the braking points are virtually the same, it’s incredible. It was a very strange feeling.”
Quartararo competed in Moto3 in 20152016 and Moto2 in 2017-2018 before making the move to SRT.
He is considered a huge talent for the future and will be expected to challenge for the Rookie of the Year title next season.
Morbidelli, who edged Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah for the Rookie of the Year award this year, was even more impressive in his first two tests with SRT, placing 6th at both Valencia and Jerez.
SRT have been setup to provide a platform for Malaysian riders to compete in MotoGP in the future.
Hafizh will compete in his second season with Tech3, who have made the switch to KTM machinery, next year.