Along with new hardware upgrades, the key area of development came in the form of improved electronics strategies for Razgatlıoğlu, targeted to match his riding style. The Turkish rider had an extremely positive initial shakedown on Tuesday afternoon at the Catalonian circuit, using a half-day of his test allocation thanks to the assistance of Belgian track-day company Bikers’ Days.
Locatelli joined his teammate for the remaining two full days of testing, where the riders both completed a combined total of 196 laps working closely with their engineers on a raft of potential improvements across electronics, set-up specific to the challenging circuit layout and components aimed at increasing rear grip and acceleration. Data collected during the two days focused solely on race pace, without either rider attempting an outright qualifying time.
Three weeks remain until the first European round of the season at TT Circuit Assen, with Free Practice starting on 21 April. This “riders’ circuit” has played host to many last lap battles since its inclusion on the WorldSBK calendar in 1992 and Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK, alongside Yamaha’s engineers, are leaving no stone unturned in the quest to fight for the win once again.
