After all of the hype and curiosity about the new Ducati chassis, actually built by FTR, had receded, the biggest story during the two day Valencia test became the CRT's.
One of them, the Inmotec, can't be considered a CRT, since it's actually a prototype. Its four-cylinder engine is currently 800cc in displacement, and is expected to increase to 900cc.
So the other three bikes in action were the Suter-BMW of Team Laglisse, ridden by Carmelo Morales; the BRQ-Kawasaki, ridden by Hernandez and Robertino Pietri; and the Grillini-Gapam, powered by BMW and ridden by Nannelli and Federico Sandi.
The fastest among them, as expected, was the Suter-BMW, which averaged a gap of around 4 seconds to the leaders, after a year of testing and development work. The BMW engine, right at the 81 mm bore limit, appears strong, but we need to wait for the faster tracks before we really have an idea. Someplace like Phillip Island or Mugello, as apposed to the twisty Valencia layout.
The Inmotec was around 5 seconds off the pace, but the bike looks well made and finished, as does the BQR-Kawasaki and its FTR built chassis, although the latter does appear rather tall. In compensation the Kawasaki engine has a removable gearbox, which helps on a racing machine.
Rough Around the Edges - The Grillini, on the other hand, is clearly derived from a Moto2, and it shows. Nannelli reported that the bike has a rather short wheelbase, and that only further supports the notion that it was designed for a 600.
With Sandi at the controls - who suffered small crash this morning - the bike was close to seven seconds off the pace, but even at first glimpse you can notice that it looks rather homemade. A bike built with passion and care, but definitely in need of some refinement work.
So far there has been no sign of the highly anticipated Aprilia powered bikes, but they should be coming soon. Two are expected to go to Team Aspar, and one each to Andrea Iannone and Giampiero Sacchi, the latter using rider Petrucci. The chassis will be be built by FTR, and should be almost identical in spec to the Superbike.
Of course this now begs the question: why not just run with a slightly "prototyped" Superbike, which would probably be even better.
Superlicense - On the topic of rider qualifications, Honda man Livio Suppo was clear: "The riders should be required to have a Superlicense. Slower bikes with inexperienced riders on them could be dangerous."
The Italian manager does have a point, but who should be in charge of verifying rider ability? It could have been an ideal job for Loris Capirossi, but nobody requested him to do so. As usual the organization work from Dorna leaves something to be desired, while the FIM continues to be invisible.
source: GP One
