PATA Honda riders Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark expect the Chang International Circuit to play to the strengths of their CBR1000RR machine. Guintoli struggled for pace in the opening round at Phillip Island as Honda struggled to match their competitors but the Frenchman was also hampered by injury and doesn’t see his physical condition being a hindrance this weekend either.
“I’m really looking forward to riding at this new track at Buriram which looks really exciting. I’ve watched some races on YouTube and it looks like a lot of fun and I’m hoping it will suit the characteristics of the CBR. My back is feeling better now so hopefully I won’t suffer as much as in Australia. So it’s all really exciting and I can’t wait to discover this new circuit.”
Van der Mark impressed many with his debut performance in Australia and not only does he expect Chang to suit his motorcycle, but the Dutch rookie also expects it to bring out the best in his riding.
“I really enjoy riding new tracks, especially ones where everyone is new to the circuit, so we’ll see who is fast and who gets the best set-up. I think we left Australia with a really good feeling, which was a really amazing experience for me where the bike felt really great. I know this weekend will be just as difficult but I’m looking forward to it because I’m usually quite fast at new tracks. I watched a few races on the internet and I think it’s a track that’ll really suit me because, from the videos I’ve seen, it looks really fast. Now I’m here, I just can’t wait to get out there and see how it is.”
