MotoGP in Jerez – development agency in action / MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa, who has trained several times in the past and was always happy to lead, sits on the fifth KTM RC16. Stefan Bradl, who is also experienced, will be at the start under the banner of HRC. For Aprilia, Lorenzo Savadori, official RS-GP test driver, also takes the handle.

The main task of the other three accelerators in Jerez is to test the latest development parts. In recent years, the importance of measuring in-house and development structures has increased significantly. All manufacturers, even those who are not at the top at the moment, run independent structures that are directly connected to the development departments.

Test work has increased in complexity and is also given higher priority due to valid submission rules. Honda and Yamaha have the opportunity to turn on the constant stages of evolution and bring them into normal racing activities through testing with a large group of wild cards.

In the original sense, wild cards were primarily used to burnish the game’s flagship in a selected market. Either young talent or old horses were recruited from the respective host countries and put into, at best, the same racing machines. The Japanese in particular were big fans and masters of this profession. Many national heroes, whose names have long been forgotten in Europe, mixed the starting field with courageous performances. And if several inventions were added back, then a secret experiment went along.

With the advent of four-stroke technology, priorities changed and the number of wildcard pilots also decreased significantly over the years. In 2024 it would be unthinkable that Yamaha’s French importer would send another race-prepared M1 with the national cycling hero at Le Mans to stimulate its home market. In this regard, the professional race has lost contact with the ground station.

The focus is now on the development approach. All three wildcard drivers at Jerez will theoretically be on the best machines. The latest visible and invisible innovations are tested on all bikes under racing conditions. Dani Pedrosa will test the new aero package on the KTM RC16, similar tests will be seen on the Aprilia RS-GP of Italy’s Savadori.

Honda is likely to have a more open technical field on Stefan’s machine. Since it is known that HRC is working on new engines and is constantly developing new types of chassis (since this year also with the full support of German specialist Alex Baumgärtel/Kalex), the main German tester may be sitting on the brand new RC213V. .

The test next Monday is also important. Here the testers and regular drivers will have a chance to agree on the best update together.

With the wildcard spirit, fans can look forward to it from Friday. Dani Pedrosa in particular will make the most noise in the stands with his test KTM in the heavy Red Bull format.