Successful IRTA Tests

The Moto2-class (the new 600cc 4-stroke class in premier championship of motorcycle road racing 2010 to replace the 250cc 2-stroke class which exists since 1949) concluded this weekend their official pre-season testing with the third IRTA Test in Jerez, Spain.

OFFICIAL MOTO2 TEST: IRTA III - Corti on the Suter-MMX leads the timetable!
The final official IRTA Moto2 test brought out all the teams in a last-ditched effort to get their all-new prototype machines dialed in for the opening round of the series April 11 in Qatar. The three-day test took place in Jerez, with perfect weather (temperatures up to 25°C) allowing lap times to drop under that of the previous Jerez test, being a test of strength on high class level.

The Suter-MMX pilots showed up with some excellent results:
Painting a pretty clear picture of how the season should stack up, at least to start, Forward Racing’s Claudio Corti topped the timesheets with a best lap of 1:44.044. Corti struggled on Day 1 and Day 2 with a nagging injury to his left ankle but was able to put down a blistering fast lap on Day 3 to top ex-MotoGP rider Toni Elias for the No. 1 spot.

Claudio Corti (Forward Racing) on Suter-MMX

The Marc VDS Racing Team’s Scott Redding further emerged as a real contender for this year’s Moto2 World Championship title, as the 17-year-old Briton finished fourth fastest overall and was second fastest on the second day showing the potential of the Suter-MMX. Scott had previously struggled to adapt his riding style to the Suter-MMX Moto2 machine that he’ll campaign this season, but the Marc VDS rider made a significant breakthrough. The youngster continued to improve throughout the three days and was consistently placed in the top five on the timesheet. It is amazing how he slides through the curves, elbows on the tarmac, and one can see that he really enjoys it. Must be because of the Suter-MMX...

Scott Redding (MarcVDS) on Suter-MMX

Throughout all three days always up to 6 Suter-MMX riders were placed in the top ten on the timetable. This of course gave competitors some hard thinking. Also very pleasant was the good performance of the Swiss riders Tom Lüthi (Interwetten, Moriwaki) and Domi Aegerter (Technomag, Suter). Lüthi was from the beginning inside the top ten while the young Aegerter improved constantly until in between he was inside the top fifteen on the timetable.

At the end of the three days testing when the German Stefan Bradl (Viessman Kiefer Racing) tried with his last set of tires to show off with a fast lap unfortunately rain set in.

As a whole the Moto2 field also is shaping up to be one of, if not the most competitive GP category for 2010. The first 16 riders were separated by less than a second in Jerez, and you have to go all the way by to 33rd position to find the first rider two seconds off the pace. Inside the top ten also bikes from 7 different manufacturers could be seen: 3 times Suter plus machines from Moriwaki, RSV, Harris, BQR, MZ and Tech3.

The teamwork between the technicians from Suter Racing and the Suter-MMX teams is one of a kind. Hence teams can come up very fast with a good basic setting, putting them right on the spot. We from Suter Racing are looking forward to a thrilling world championship!

OFFICIAL MOTO2 TESTS: IRTA I & II - Rain, Rain, Rain
Rain and cold temperatures during the previous two IRTA test weekends (1.-3. March in Valencia, 6.-8. March in Jerez) allowed teams to test only on a limited basis. Between however things dried up sometimes and allowed for some productive laps to be logged during these official tests for the middle Grand Prix class.

Arne Tode, Racing Team Germany