Bradley Smith’s switch from a finely-tuned, Lorenzo and Rossi-refined satellite Yamaha to a brand new but factory KTM has been a huge learning curve and with all the development work that has had to go on, the Oxfordshire rider says he can’t remember the last time he raced.
Race weekends have been testing sessions that have formed the bulk of his MotoGP season so far with new parts to evaluate every time the garage doors rattle open not giving Smith a huge amount of time to work out a race setup from which he can start from at first exit on a Friday morning.
“I personally don’t remember the last time I actually raced, if I have to be straight up and honest, and I do think that is one thing I need to focus on, moving into the remainder of this season. I need to start racing. I am extremely happy with the development, we have met all the goals, but it’s ’Bradley, you have to go racing. You’ve done the groundwork for everyone, Pol has had his results, Mika came in and had his results but you have to show that you can do it. We know you can’,” said Smith told BSN at a KTM UK jolly-up.
“I think Silverstone will be the first time I’m gearing up for a results instead of trying something brand new. We are going super-consistent and only try new stuff at tests, so we are now going racing, keep the ball rolling, ride better at the tracks we know and have data on.”
From today, Smith comes equipped with a new crew chief in the shape of Esteban Garcia who replaces Tom Jojic at the behest of KTM boss Pit Beirer. That kind of change is one that comes with being part of a factory effort where you get what you need, and possibly also what you want. Very different from a satellite operation.
“It has been hugely different because you don’t have a refined, factory motorcycle the world champions of the sport have ridden and worked on, that a team of Japanese engineers have designed and developed over the last 15 years of the MotoGP era.
“You’re expected to do all of it by yourself, if that makes sense. That’s when you realise we have no information. It isn’t like an Aprilia project or a Suzuki project where they have had people to do the base work, stepped away and come back. We are building everything.
“Every building block used is part of the story. From that point of view it has been tough, from the other side, it is a factory team and anything you want or need you have. There is never any question. We need to go testing - how many days, you need the best tyres - here is five sets, or were going to be here for three days, here is 15 or 20. That’s when you realise how the boys at the top are able to make those small gaps.”
One downside of being in a new factory team can be a lack of information and hard data. Going into race weekends with a bank sheet of paper when all around you have file upon file of clicks, turns, maps and setup information that is crucial to a result.
“It’s scary. At the beginning of the season, Michelin’s tyre choices were a bit up and down, we had, I think, nine different front and rear tyres in the opening three races, so we were having to turn the bike upside down every weekend because the tyres were different. Then they introduced a new front tyre halfway through the season and we had gone down a development route.
It’s not been easy but the team have done a fantastic job. We did 80 laps at Misano and that was trying to setup for the weekend, no new parts. Those 80 laps is effectively a Friday and Saturday of setting up. Then you have to throw in qualifying plus three different front and rear tyres. GP weekends don’t allow for mistakes.
“Those 80 laps were from 9am to 6pm, so the electronics guys had time to sort themselves out. When you only have an hour and a half, it’s a completely different thing. It’s scary when you go into somewhere for the first time and you’re asking what power so I need, what TC do I need, what gears are we going to be in, if I back-shift to second is it going to save me or are we going to lock sideways and fly to the moon? It’s definitely interesting.”
Big thanks to the stout fellows at KTM UK. Click here to see their range of fine motorcycles
