Difficult Practice For Kornfeil And Khairuddin In Barcelona

Photo Credit: Gold & Goose Photography

Barcelona - Catalunya, Spain – Friday 12th June

Circuit: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Circuit Length: 4.7 km

Bike #63 – Zulfahmi Khairuddin
FP1: P29; 1’54.969 (DRY) – 17 laps
FP2: P31; 1’53.463 (DRY) –17 laps

Bike #84 – Jakub Kornfeil
FP1: P22; 1’53.553 (DRY) – 16 laps
FP2: P29; 1’53.258 (DRY) – 16 laps

As the Catalan Grand Prix got underway, the DRIVE M7 SIC Racing Team got off to a difficult start with both riders struggling with the set-up of their KTM machines.

Jakub Kornfeil started first practice in good form but as the session progressed the Czech rider struggled to improve his feeling on the bike. Using the afternoons practice to test various settings on the #84 machine, Kornfeil pushed hard to improve but was unable to match the pace of the leaders.

Zulfahmi Khairuddin made progress in free practice two finding 1.5 seconds from the morning session but with times so close between the Moto3 field, despite being just 1.8 seconds off P1, the 23 year old concluded the day in thirty first place.

With both riders have gained valuable information from the setting changes made today, tomorrow’s third practice will give them the opportunity to further improve ahead of qualifying.

#63 Zulfahmi Khairuddin
“After the morning practice we made some changes to the bike and in the afternoon session we improved the set up and I was able to go one and a half seconds quicker. However I was quite surprised with my position because although I was only 1.8 seconds off the top, I was in thirty first position. We made a good step today but still we need to improve more. For FP3 we must try to find more from the bike and also I must concentrate more on my riding. I think there are some corners that I can definitely improve on. We are focused and we know what we have to do, so although I’m disappointed with today’s results I’m confident that we can do better for qualifying.”

#84 Jakub Kornfeil 
“This morning when we started the track was very slippery but still I was pushing and initially I was quite high up. Unfortunately my last two laps weren’t very good, so this is why I finished the first session quite far back. In the afternoon we wanted to try and test many more things, which we did and now we can see that the bike is not working with the changes we made. We will now go in another direction for tomorrow. Although we didn’t finfish in a good position I’m pleased that we understand the bike more at this track and we know what to do to improve. Already before I entered the box my crew knew what the problem was with the bike, so I’m happy about this. I’m doing the same job as always and pushing as hard as I can. It hasn’t been the perfect day for us but from the data we collected I’m confident we can find the way that works for this track.”

-SIC Racing Team facebook.

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