Bendsneyder and Raffin happy with progression
NTS RW Racing GP has concluded the three-day Moto2 test in Qatar with a satisfied feeling. Both Bo Bendsneyder and Jesko Raffin made great progress. Bendsneyder closed the test with a time of 1.59.380, with which he was around seventh for quite some time. Raffin set 1.59.914 as the fastest time, before crashing at the start of the last session, which meant he couldn’t improve his time.
On the first day of the test, Bendsneyder and Raffin were a bit worried, but thanks to a few major developments, that concern has turned into hopeful satisfaction. Due to his crash in the last session, the Swiss could no longer do a race simulation, but despite that setback, he made substantial progress. There is also satisfaction on the Bendsneyder side. In addition to half a race simulation with a new windscreen (to see if that has an effect on top speed), he did a successful qualification test to set a fast lap time.
NTS RW Racing GP stays in Qatar, where the first practice sessions for the opening Grand Prix of the season are on Friday. The time difference between Europe and Qatar is two hours. The complete timetable for the Moto2 (Central European times) can be found elsewhere on our website: Qatar GP
Bo Bendsneyder #64:“I’m certainly happy. We were able to take a big step again today compared to yesterday. In the last session I went out with a new band to do a time attack and I am very satisfied with that. Until about ten minutes before the end I was still in the top 10, while I was already busy with a mini race simulation of ten laps. The pace remained strong there too: invariably in the 59’s. It was a difficult start of this test, but my crew worked really well so that we can be satisfied with the final result. It was a good test that gives confidence for the race weekend.”
Jesko Raffin #2: “We started this morning with major changes. Compared to the first two days, we have taken a completely different direction. I am very happy with those changes, because for the first time I felt really comfortable on the machine and I was a lot faster. That was very nice. In the second session we went out on old tires to see how it felt and that was good too. Unfortunately I crashed right away in my first lap of the third session, which meant that we could no longer do the race simulation and time attack that we had planned, but the feeling and the setting are good enough for the first race weekend to start.”