MOTOGP
2014 SEASON PREVIEW
PREVIEW
P44
were revealed for the first time.
Honda's production RCV1000R
looks much like last year's factory
bike; the new RC213V is instantly
distinguished by its face with last
year's twin intakes replaced by one
full-width slot with a pouting lower
lip. Give or take some paintwork
changes, Yamaha and Ducati are
similar to last year's bikes, at least
in appearance.
The full field was there, again
with some changes from last
year, with 11 Factory bikes and 13
Open (plus test riders for all fac-
tories plus here-in-2015 Suzuki).
Factory Hondas are in the
same hands: Repsol fielding de-
fending champion Marquez and
Pedrosa, plus Alvaro Bautista
(Team Fun & Go) and Stefan Bra-
dl (LCR). Four production bikes
see 2006 World Champion Nicky
Hayden alongside former 250cc
champ Hiro Aoyama in the Aspar
team; privateer Karel Abraham's
AB Cardion bike, plus class rook-
ie Scott Redding on the second
Fun & Go bike, after finishing run-
ner up in Moto2 last year.
The factory Yamahas likewise
have the same riders, Lorenzo
and Rossi; while Brit Bradley
Smith is joined in the satellite
Monster team by Moto2 cham-
pion Pol Espargaro.
The "Open" Yamaha of the
NGM Forward team is entered as
an FTR, but at this stage is effec-
tively last year's factory bike, with
more fuel and control software.
An FTR chassis is under develop-
ment, but the current bike is fast
enough to fuel complaints from
Honda, whose production racer
is gutless by comparison. Espar-
garo has veteran Colin Edwards
alongside.
Ducati's final decision on
which category to choose is not
straightforward, but the improve-
ments to the 2014 bike were
clear, significantly closing the
gap to the leaders: it was 1.624
seconds in qualifying last year,
and .837 of a second at the tests.
If Aleix Espargaro's
lap times are any
indication, once Colin
Edwards gets his Open
class Yamaha sorted
out he may be in for
some good results.
"
… COMPLAINTS FROM HONDA,
WHOSE PRODUCTION RACER IS
GUTLESS BY COMPARISON.
"
