As part of my job with Bel-Ray, I am responsible for writing and distributing race reports of our sponsored athletes in action. Below is a recent report I wrote following the MotoGP event in Jerez, Spain.
Positive Results for Bel-Ray Racers in Jerez MotoGP
Image courtesy Team Aspar.
FARMINGDALE, N.J. (May 5, 2014) ― Round Four of the 2014 World Championships took place this weekend at the famous Jerez race circuit in the south of Spain. Universally liked by racers and spectators alike, Jerez often draws a large number of spectators for a MotoGP weekend. As a sponsor of Team Aspar, Bel-Ray fields racers in all three championship classes, with Nicky Hayden and Hiroshi Aoyama in MotoGP, Nico Terol and Jordi Torres in Moto2, and Juanfran Guevara in Moto3.
As the 2014 season has progressed, Nicky Hayden has been coming to grips with the new Honda RCV1000R. Riding steadily this weekend, beating his lap times in every session, and finishing only just outside the Top 10 in the race, Hayden took eleventh place for the third consecutive round. Teammate Hiroshi Aoyama had a brilliant race from the back. Overcoming issues with front tire grip, the Japanese rider raced to a twelfth place finish.
11th place Nicky Hayden: “On paper, this circuit should be more favorable than others for our bike, considering that the difference here in top speed would not be so big. On the first two laps, the second group tried to escape, but I fought to catch them and I ended up close to (Stefan) Bradl. However, as the laps went by, I made a mistake at Turn 4 and he broke away. It was a shame, as it would have been nice to beat a factory rider. In any case, looking at our pace and performance today, we have had our best race so far.”
12th place Hiroshi Aoyama: “Today we had a very hot and hard race. I tried to fight from the beginning to keep my position, but it was difficult for me to find a feeling with the front tire. That meant I could not push hard at the start of the race and needed to be more prudent. Fortunately, after seven laps I started to feel more comfortable on the bike and gained confidence with the tires. Gradually, I found my place and I was able to pick it up to try to gain positions. I managed to reach the group riding in front of me and tried to overtake them, but when I felt most comfortable I was blocked by other riders. It was a shame, because I could not make the most of the tires when they were performing at their best. In any case, I am satisfied that we had quite a positive pace, both in practice and in the race. This gives us more confidence for the next races.”
In Moto2 racing action, Jordi Torres came from 22nd place on the starting grid and a 28th place position into turn one. Torres rode with a vengeance up to a 12th place finish at the checkered flag. Teammate Nico Terol was unable to compete, following a crash in free practice that injured his hip and elbow. He hopes to return to action at the next round, in France.
12th place Jordi Torres: “It was a tough race because we started from a long way back and had to fight our way through. I was desperate to have a good race, and we didn’t have anything to lose from 22nd on the grid. I was so keen on the grid that I made a mistake, wheelied the bike twice, and lost a few positions into the first turn. Luckily, I was able to stay calm and tackle the race as a challenge. I passed riders as they came up, and I tried to enjoy myself. In the end, twelfth place is not the result we were hoping for but (I) am satisfied with the performance today.”
In Moto3 racing action, Juanfran Guevara began from 17th place on the grid and lost positions early on in the race. He eventually finished in 16th place.
16th place Juanfran Guevara: “The race flew by and it was already half distance when I looked at the lap counter for the first time. I tried to hold my position off the start, but the first two corners were really tough and there was no room to make a move. I stuck with a fast group for most of the race and could maybe have gone even faster, but I was lacking a little confidence under braking. That was what I needed to make some passes and try to push forward. On one hand, I am happy with the lap times today, which were similar to the guys at the front, but disappointed because I wanted a better result in my home race. We were unlucky in qualifying yesterday, and we paid the price with the grid position today.”
Team Aspar relies on Bel-Ray lubricants to protect their machines and provide maximum power.
The FIM World Championship continues in France on May 18th.
To learn more about Bel-Ray specialty powersports lubricants, visit www.belray.com/powersports or call (732) 938-2421.
Follow Bel-Ray racers all season long at www.belray.com.
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