IN
THE
WIND
P50
TRIUMPH SHOWS OFF MOTO2 ENGINE
T
riumph Moto2 engines were
on the grid at Aragon, six
months before the 765cc triples
will make their official racing debut
at the opening race of 2019. This
time they were going nowhere,
sitting in delivery crates without a
chassis in sight.
This was the official hand-over
marking the end of development
of the production-based engines
that will take over after nine years
of Honda CBR600RR power for
the Cinderella class.
The engines have been de-
veloped for almost two years,
according to a Dorna statement,
by teams from Triumph, Dorna,
Magneti Marelli and the Aragon
Motorland-based ExternPro, a
specially formed company that has
been responsible for the Honda
engines supplied to all riders in the
class.
Development has included
tests by several past and a handful
of current riders, with immedi-
ate reports of improved lap times
compared with the smaller Honda
engine.
At Silverstone, Dorna pit-lane
reporter and former 500cc GP
winner Simon Crafar tested a
Triumph-powered Moto2 bike, and
gave it a rave review. The larger
capacity and fewer cylinders
mean much better torque than
the Honda, and a wider power
spread.
Another improvement for the re-
vised class is more sophisticated
electronics, giving riders a better
chance to gain experience in this
area before moving up to MotoGP.
Cycle News' Alan Cathcart also
tested the Triumph Moto2 bike last
issue, which you can read here.
Michael Scott
Triumph's Moto2
engine gets the
official Moto2
handover from
Honda.
M
arc Marquez is the latest Spaniard
to be honored with a corner bear-
ing his name, after Aragon's Turn Ten
was re-christened in his honor before
the race weekend.
The corner is a left-hander, echoing
his well-known preference.
Experienced race-watchers were
waiting to see if he could avoid the jinx
that sometimes attends these honors.
MARQUEZ GETS A CORNER
In 2013, Lorenzo celebrated the
final hairpin at Jerez being given
his name. Then in the race he was
punted off and almost out of the
race by Marquez when they were
battling for second on the final lap.
Instead Marquez used that left-
hander and the next to give him a
good run into Turn 12, his favored
overtaking spot on the way to vic-
tory in the race.
Michael Scott
