Alvaro Bautista - Photo Credit: Gresini Racing
Alvaro Bautista had great cause for optimism after the opening day's testing in Malaysia after finishing ninth quickest. San Carlo Honda Gresini's new signing rode the 1000cc Honda RC213V for the first time and completed over two full race distances around the Sepang circuit.
Bautista commented that he felt at home on the new bike immediately and expects to make great strides as he continues to improve the machine over the next two days.
“This was my first day on the RC213V and I am very pleased with it because I instantly felt comfortable riding a ‘thousand’. Obviously after a three-month break from racing it is not easy to get back out there because you have to reset your mind and body to the task and rediscover your pace. We have worked on adapting the bike to my riding style and I have just tried to get confident without worrying about lap times at this early stage. I am satisfied because I am working well with the team and everybody is putting in a lot of effort. Over the next two days we will work on general set-up and the electronics but I am already feeling positive because we are not too far off the fastest times and we haven’t started pushing yet.”
The Italian team had good news to report off the track too with the announcement of a technical collaboration with Showa, a revival of a previously successful partnership. The Japanese company will provide technical support to Gresini's MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 squads and team owner Fausto Gresini has welcomed the news.
“To link up again with an important technical partner like Showa is a source of pride and great satisfaction for Team San Carlo Honda Gresini. We have enjoyed significant success together in the past and we hope to recreate that winning feeling again with this new deal. The technical support of a partner such as Showa is fundamental in MotoGP but especially so with additional projects such as CRT, Moto 2 and Moto3. We are sure that we can create a positive technical synergy with Showa that translates into top results on the track.”
