KIWI RIDER 12 2018 VOL.2 | Page 96

LAP TIMES TO TUMBLE IN TRIUMPH-POWERED MOTO2 ERA By Michael Esdaile he November 23-25 International Racing Teams Association (IRTA) tests at Spain’s Jerez circuit indicate we can expect to see lap times tumble in the Moto2 class in 2019. After nine years the ‘intermediate’ category in motorcycle grand prix racing has a new engine. Honda’s virtually bullet-proof CBR600 series production engine has been replaced by the new 765cc Triumph three- cylinder motor. This is the first change of engine in the class since the old 250cc GP class was replaced by Moto2, with the twin cylinder two-stroke racing engines that had dominated the class since 1970 replaced by a modified series production road engine. Replacing the 125hp Honda four is a new 765cc three-cylinder Triumph engine which produces more power (130+hp) and torque. At the first major trial of the new Moto2 machines, no fewer than 12 riders recorded times under the current class lap record. 96 KIWI RIDER This was at the November 23-25 IRTA tests at Spain’s Jerez circuit. Italian Luca Marini, winner of the November 4 Malaysian Moto2 race, was the fastest of the 31 riders involved in the IRTA test session, clocking a best lap of 1m 41.524s – almost a full second (0.956s) under the class record. The lap record belongs to another Italian: Lorenzo Baldassarri clocked a best of 1m 42.480s on the Pons HP4 Kalex machine at the May 6 Spanish Grand Prix. That was after three days of warm, sunny weather with 36° C of track temperature. In contrast, wet conditions marked each day of the November IRTA test, track conditions were “patchy” and the tarmac was a good deal cooler than in May. So with completely dry conditions, and a further three months of development, we can expect to see the Moto2 lap record tumble at the Grand Prix of Qatar on March 10.