GRT Yamaha Make Progress Across Friday’s Sessions at Barcelona

17-09-2021

GRT Yamaha Make Progress Across Friday’s Sessions at Barcelona

The GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team got round nine of the 2021 FIM Superbike World Championship underway at Barcelona today, with Garrett Gerloff going 10th fastest on combined times, with rookie teammate 16th, albeit just 1.040s off the fastest time.

Gerloff’s crew helped him make steady progress with the setup of his Yamaha R1 throughout the day, but the American is still looking for some more speed to close the gap to the front. The American was ninth in the morning and although he was happy with the changes made, the rising temperatures did not allow him to improve his fastest time in FP2.

On the other side of the GRT Yamaha garage, Nozane continued to improve. The Japanese rider was 17th in FP1, but in the heat of the afternoon he managed to set a much quicker time of 1’43.409, which saw him place 15th.

The Yamaha R1 bikes, which are donning a special livery to celebrate Yamaha’s 60th anniversary in Grand Prix motorcycle road racing tomorrow, will be back on track at 09:00 CET for FP3, with the Tissot Superpole at 11:10 and Race 1 at 15:15.

For Friday's combined times, click here.

Garrett Gerloff: P10 - 1'42.919

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team

It’s good to be back in Barcelona! It was a hot day today and the track got very greasy, especially in the afternoon, but we made some progress on the bike. I am able to be very consistent, which is good, but I still have to find some outright speed. Overall, I am happy with how things are going and I feel ready for Saturday.

Kohta Nozane: P16 - 1'43.409

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team

I visited this track once in the past, during the winter tests, and I had a very good feeling with it. Today I was not very fast in FP1, but my pace improved throughout the day and now I am satisfied. The conditions were very slippery and hot, and the grip was way less than during the winter tests, so it was not easy to adapt. Tomorrow we want to make another step up. I hope that the conditions remain dry because I have little experience on the Pirelli rain tyre, but I think I could be ok even in the wet.