The last pre-season test made Team Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) confident to face the 2021 Superbike World Championship (WSBK).
The HRC team was finally able to maximize the last pre-season WSBK 2021 test they conducted at the MotorLand Aragon Circuit, Spain, Thursday and Friday May, 6-7 2021.
In the sun and a temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius, Alvaro Bautista only took a day’s test following chest pain from a motocross training accident in early April.
Meanwhile, Leon Haslam tested various components and determined the best set-up for the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade for the first WSBK race. The inaugural race for WSBK 2021 will be held on the same track (Aragon) about the next two weeks, 21-23 May to be precise.
“On the first day, we were mostly in the garage. However, in the afternoon, we were able to do a lot of laps and that was very good, “
said Haslam.
The experienced racer from England also said that his team was able to make significant progress in the last WSBK test. Consistency, which is the priority of the HRC Team, is growing rapidly.
“Lap times are also good when you refer to the high temperatures here. I can say that our consistency is much better. We also still have a number of areas that can be developed, ”
said the winner of the five races, 45 podiums and three poles from the 278 races.
“Even though we didn’t do as many tests as the other teams on this circuit, I think we are getting closer to them. Now, we all have to change the way of thinking (mindset) to a racing model rather than testing. “
Honda may have the confidence to be able to approach its rivals. For the record, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing WorldSBK Team) was able to close his team’s last test at Aragon, last Wednesday (5/5/2021), by breaking the pole track record.
The WSBK world champion for the last six seasons (2015-2020) broke 1 minute 48.528 seconds or about 0.2 seconds faster than the pole position he made last year.
The HRC team did not mention the best lap times between Leon Haslam and Alvaro Bautista during the two days of the test. However, they are still confident in facing WSBK 2021.
“In total, we conducted tests for two and a half days. In general, I am happy with the test results because we were able to improve the consistency. We also get a lot of data to make the bike more competitive in the face of the start of the season, “
“said Bautista.
The 2019 WSBK runner-up who has bagged 16 race wins, 25 podiums and four pole positions from 60 races also said that his physical condition is much better.
Alvaro Bautista also admits that his feeling for the bike is getting better and he can’t wait to get down to the first race at Aragon, from 13 rounds of WSBK in the 2021 season.
