Scott Redding expected to win in 2012

Tweet

Scott Redding’s Marc VDS Racing Moto2 squad believe the British teenager must win races in 2012 to put himself in the shop window for a possible switch to MotoGP next year.

The Gloucestershire rider has impressed during winter testing on the new Kalex chassis and he heads to the opening race in Qatar next week hotly-tipped to mount a title challenge this season.

The 19-year-old is looking to bounce back from a 2011 campaifn that fell well below expectations. Redding didn’t score a single podium last year as he struggled with the Suter chassis and now Marc VDS Racing boss Michael Bartholemy said he expects a big improvement in results.

He told MCN: “For sure we have to make one or two wins at least. Last year we didn’t even make one podium, so this season we need to get a lot of podiums and we need to win some races.

"This is clear because we are in the third year together and we can’t say we are working with a young guy who needs to gain some experience. We all know in this class it is hard to win races and we all know we have some disadvantage with Scott’s height and weight.

"But we have to live with it and it is time now for him to show he is ready to make the next step to go to MotoGP, even if he has to leave us. I think the next three or four months are going to be a big platform for Scott to sell himself for the future.”

Redding and his squad have worked a lot in winter testing on improving the set-up of the Kalex frame over race distance to give him more chance of becoming a regular podium finisher.

Redding is one of the tallest and heaviest riders in the Grand Prix paddock and has struggled in the past with excessive tyre wear in the final stages of races.

Bartholemy added: “We have concentrated much more this winter on working for race distance. We have perhaps looked too much at a fast outright lap and that is important because qualifying on the first three rows in Moto2 is crucial.

"But we have also worked a lot on the bike over race distance to make sure he is fast and competitive throughout. Every test we have made a race simulation to see how much time we can gain compared to the race from the year before and not worrying about small tenths to get pole position and all these other things. 

"Scott is a rider who puts more demand on the tyres and the bike because of his weight, so we need to find a pace that is strong over race distance while being fast and consistent throughout.”

source: MCN

read more...

Scott Redding picks out 2012 Moto2 title rivals

Tweet

Scott Redding believes four riders, including Spanish sensation Marc Marquez, stand between him and capturing the 2012 Moto2 world championship.

The Marc VDS Racing rider has impressed during pre-season testing and he heads to the first race in Qatar next week as one of the pre-season favourites.

But the Gloucestershire rider believes Marquez heads a list of four big names that pose the biggest threat to his title ambitions.

Marquez made a startling return to action at the recent Jerez test in Spain to lap inside the top six after a five-month lay-off with a right eye problem he suffered in Sepang last October.

And Redding told MCN: “Obviously Marquez is going to be strong. He is a good rider and it is good that he came back. He has got something special about him and he keeps getting up and battling.

"He gets results so what he is putting in he is getting back. He is still fast and for sure he is going to be running at the front. I know I can run with him though and I know that I am as fast as him and I think it will be good to battle with him at the front.”

Redding’s other hot tips include Thomas Luthi, Pol Espargaro and Andrea Iannone.

He added: “Luthi and Espargaro will definitely be there or thereabouts. Never count out Iannone too. He might be struggling in testing but come race day he is capable of something completely different.”

Redding was seventh quickest at the final pre-season test in Jerez last week and prior to that he’d never been outside of the top two in three previous tests at Jerez and Valencia.

Redding is aware that he needs to raise his game having failed to score a single podium finish in 2011, but he’s much happier and confident after a switch to the Kalex frame from Suter.

He said: “I’ve been with the team for three years and it has taken a while and we have always been there or thereabouts but always been towards the end of the season and it needs to be at the beginning.

"All the pre-season has gone really well and my training has been good and I feel happier in myself and more confident in what we can do. The only thing left is down to me.

"We’ve been fast in testing so we have proved that I do get on with the bike and there is no reason why we can’t be up there.”

source: MCN

read more...

Kallio satisfied with Jerez work

Tweet

Mika Kallio is confident he has arrived at a solid set-up on his Marc VDS Kalex Moto2 machine ahead of next month's season opening round of the championship in Qatar. 

Kallio posted the fourth fastest time overall during the three-day Jerez test in Spain and his best lap of 1m 42.301s was just 0.318s adrift of the top time set by fellow Kalex rider Claudio Corti. 

The Finn completed a full race simulation on the third and final day on Wednesday, when he managed his quickest time on the fourth lap. 

“It's been a good three days of testing here in Jerez. The plan was to get a little bit closer to the front and we achieved that today with fourth position and less than half a second off the fastest time, so I'm satisfied with that,” he said. 

“During the race simulation the bike felt good for all 23 laps and my times were both fast and consistent, which means we go to Qatar in a good position. 

"Conditions will be very different in Qatar, but the work we've done during testing means we're pretty sure even now how we need to set-up the bike for the first race. 

“Remaining calm is the key to the first race; we know we have the pace to challenge the front runners, so we just need to continue with the approach that's worked so well for us during testing.” 

Michael Bartholemy, team manager, added: “Mika's methodical approach to testing certainly paid off today, with his fastest lap of the test coming during his race simulation this afternoon. 

"He will be quick in Qatar, a track that he has done well at in the past, and I'm confident he'll get his second season in Moto2 off to a strong start.” 

Kallio's team-mate, Scott Redding, struggled with illness and machine issues but the young British rider ended the test just 0.3s slower than Kallio's best lap. 

“Scott struggled a little with illness and an engine problem during these three days at Jerez, but he proved during the previous tests this year that he has the pace to run at the front, so he will head to Qatar with his confidence intact,” added Bartholemy. 

“After such a long break I think we're all looking forward to the first race, where I hope we'll make a strong start to the season.” 

The opening round of the Moto2 World Championship will be held at Qatar over the weekend of April 7-8. 

source: crash.net

read more...

Scott Redding and Bradley Smith make big progress in Jerez

Tweet

Scott Redding and Bradley Smith made big moves up the Moto2 timesheets in Jerez today.

Redding climbed up from 11th yesterday to fourth fastest this afternoon, despite a late crash at Turn 10 that he was able to walk away uninjured from.

The Marc VDS Racing rider took advantage of cooling track temperatures and a drop in strong winds that hit the track earlier to clock a best time of 1.42.638 on the Kalex chassis.

That put him 0.480s behind Swiss rider Thomas Luthi, who once again headed the timesheets with a quickest lap of 1.42.158 set in the fina hour of the day.

The Gloucestershire rider told MCN: “Today was a bit better and I feel better in myself, but we need to find a little bit more out of the bike to close the gap. I got down to a 43.0 earlier which is good but it is still a little bit frustrating because at the last test I did a 42.2 and that is a bit strange for me.

"I think it is the temperature of the track and the feeling is not so good in the heat. We are making it better slowly. We need to get the bike turning a bit more and find a bit more rear traction for the heat.

"(Thomas) Luthi and (Claudio) Corti seem really consistent and now the gap to them is closer, so I’m happier about that.”

Smith also made significant progress today on the second day on board an all-new Tech 3 Racing chassis and swingarm package.

The Oxfordshire rider was a lowly 17th yesterday but he climbed iinto the top 10 today. A best lap of 1.43.012 put him eighth quickest but he was less than half-a-second away from the top three.

He told MCN: “It is nice to actually put on the timesheets what I am feeling on the bike. I knew there was the potential in the bike yesterday but when you look at a 43.8 and you are 17th on the sheets, it doesn’t look like there is much potential.

"But we just needed to find it and today we made some big, big changes and actually found a bike that always in my mind I’ve thought how a 600 Moto2 should react and now we ard 95% there.

"I’m really happy over race distance again too and I am banging in low 43s consistently and that fills me with confidence because we are not dropping off. I’d have liked to see a 1.42 but the work we did was fantastic.

"A lot of it is balance for braking and corner entry. We need to make a bike that when I’m braking it doesn’t feel like I’m going over the handlebars all of the time and the rear is jumping off the floor.

"That makes a big difference on these bikes because when you have got 155kg of bike hopping off the ground and wanting to go straight it is difficult to muscle it into the corner regardless of how much you counter steer on the handlebars.

"That’s the biggest change making sure we’ve got a stable feeling entering the corner.”

Gino Rea also made good progress today on the Gresini Moriwaki machine and he ended up 14th with a best time of 1.43.486. That was 0.7s quicker than his pace on day one and he cut the gap to the top six to just 0.6s.

Spaniard Marc Marquez was in impressive form again today and he clocked the third best time.

Making his first serious testing appearance of the winter having been ruled out for five months with nerve damage in his right eye resulting from a heavy crash in Sepang last Octoher, he set a best time of 1.42.557.

That put him 0.399s adrift of Luthi and he walked away from a late crash at Turn 10.

source: MCN

read more...

Redding ascends the Moto2™ field

Tweet

Marc VDS Racing rider Scott Redding reported the fastest lap in the Moto2™ category on the second day of testing in Jerez, as the intermediate category continues the pre-season wind up for the opening race of the year in April.

Day two of testing at the Jerez circuit featured cloudy skies and even a few drops of rain for the Moto2 field, thought the track remained dry and the riders were able to put in a full day’s work in preparation for the 2012 Championship season, with the majority of the field pacing quicker than yesterday.

While the times stated today are not official, the majority of teams reported lap times with Marc VDS Racing reporting a very quick time of 1’42.2 from their rider Scott Redding. Claudio Corti followed with a 1’42.4 and yesterday’s leader Thomas Luthi set the third fastest time, just one tenth off that of Italtrans Racing rider Corti.

Newcomer Takaaki Nakagami (Italtrans Racing) continues to impress as the Japanese rider finished the day with the fourth fastest time with Pol Espargaro (Pons Racing) completing the top five times.

Bike changes and adaptations throughout the paddock resumed full force, with riders such as Gino Rea and Rattapark Wilairot of the Team Gresini team working on the set-up of their 2012 version Moriwaki, while Bradley Smith of Tech 3 Racing went back to the settings the team used in November after various changes did not produce the results expected. Johann Zarco reported finding the adaptation to 4 stroke bikes rather difficult and said he still needs to get more confidence with braking.

Unofficial Moto2 lap times Friday (recorded by teams:

1. Scott Redding, MARC VDS RACING TEAM, 1’42.2 

2. Claudio Corti, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM, 1’42.4 

3. Thomas Luthi, INTERWETTEN PADDOCK, 1’42.5 

4. Takaaki Nakagami, ITALTRANS RACING TEAM, 1’42.7 

5. Pol Espargaro, Pons Racing, 1’42.8

6. Julian Simon, AVINTIA RACING Moto2, 1’43.0 

7. Esteve Rabat, Pons Racing, 1’43.1

8. Bradley Smith, TECH 3 RACING, 1’43.2 

9. Mika Kallio, MARC VDS RACING TEAM, 1’43.3

10. Xavier Simeon, TECH 3 RACING, 1’43.4 

11. Randy Krummenacher, GP TEAM SWITZERLAND, 1’43.4

12. Nico Terol, MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM, 1’43.4 

13. Andrea Iannone, SPEED MASTER, 1’43.5 

14. Alex De Angelis, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING, 1’43.3 

15. Angel Rodriguez, SAG TEAM, 1’43.6 

16. Mike Di Meglio, SPEED UP, 1’43.8

17. Toni Elías, MAPFRE ASPAR TEAM, 1’44.0

18. Axel Pons, PONS RACING, 1’44.0

19. Gino Rea, GRESINI RACING Moto2, 1’44.0 

20. Simone Corsi, IODARACING PROJECT, 1’44.0

21. Yuki Takahashi, NGM MOBILE FORWARD RACING, 1’44.1 

22. R. Wiliarot, THAI HONDA GRESINI Moto2, 1’44.1

23. Johann Zarco, JIR Moto2, 1’44.3

24. Max Neukirchner, KIEFER RACING, 1’44.6 

25. Dominique Aegerter, TECHNOMAG-CIP, 1’44.6 

26. Roberto Rolfo, TECHNOMAG-CIP, 1’45.1

27. Ricky Cardus, ARGUIÑANO RACING TEAM, 1’45.3 

28. Alexander Lundh, MZ RACING TEAM, 1’45.8 

29. Eric Granado, JIR Moto2, 1’46.1 

30. Damian Cudlin, QMMF RACING TEAM, 1’46.3 

31. Marco Colandrea, SAG TEAM, 1’46.8

24. Elena Rosell, QMMF RACING TEAM, 1’46.9

source: MotoGP Official

read more...

Scott Redding looking to continue fast winter form in Valencia

Tweet

British rider Scott Redding is hoping to continue his dazzling pre-season form this week when the Moto2 testing campaign resumes in Valencia.

The Marc VDS Racing rider topped the timesheets in Jerez at the end of November after an impressive switch from the Suter to Kalex chassis.

And he is hoping for another positive performance over the three-day test in Valencia, which kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday).

Redding told MCN: “I’m really looking forward to being back on the bike this week and carrying on the form I had in Jerez before Christmas. Hopefully we are going to get a good test because the weather forecast doesn’t seem too bad, which is pretty positive because it can be pretty cold there at this time of the year.

"I’ll just be looking to get as comfortable on the bike as quickly as I can so we can start some serious testing and setting some high standards for ourselves. Last year in winter testing we thought we’d nailed it with the set-up of the bike and then when it came to racing we got a shock and realised we were still having to fix problems.

"The focus this year is going to be making sure we have ironed out as many potential problems as we can before the first race in Qatar and I’m confident we can do that.

"The Kalex chassis works really well and I feel I can push more to my limit than what I could with what we were using in 2011. It takes a bit of time to click with it but once you get into a rhythm with it, it is absolutely amazing.

"I’m feeling positive going into this test after what happened in Jerez and I’m confident we can be at the sharp end on the timesheets.”

source: MCN

read more...