Championship leader Cortese heads to Indianapolis full of energy

14/08/2012

After one-month summer break Moto3 class is back in action when the season´s tenth GP weekend is held at the legendary circuit of Indianapolis in USA. Red Bull KTM Ajo Factory Racing Team is in great position before the weekend as Sandro Cortese holds a nine-point lead. Cortese, there who has had a solid season, online has gained two victories, prescription eight podium positions and four pole positions.
“I have charged my batteries and will go to Indianapolis with positive mind”, says Cortese, “I had a nice relaxing holiday last week with my family at my grandparents´ place in south Italy. Before that I had a successful training week at Red Bull´s practice centre in Austria.”
Cortese started the summer break in middle of July after finishing third at Italian GP. He lost the victory of a Mugello thriller by only 71 thousandth of seconds.
“Of course I have to be really pleased that I am leading the championship. There haven´t been any significant technical problems or mistakes during the season. That is important when the season is so long”, Cortese highlights.
“Bike´s competitiveness has improved as planned all the time and my co-operation with the team has still tighten. This is a good place to start the second half of the season”, Cortese says.
The first season of the new class means continuous developing work.
“The work with the bike is more intensive than usually and at the same time we are searching for the limits”, says team leader Aki Ajo, “However, basic things with the bike are now at so good level that we don´t have to take any big steps with that.”
But the KTM´s factory bike will get some updates also for Indy.
“We will make some interesting changes for the bike´s aerodynamics according the wind tunnel testing”, Ajo hints.
German rider Cortese´s teammates Briton Danny Kent is tenth in championship standing and Australian Arthur Sissis is 14th.
For Kent the beginning of the season was difficult but those problems are now gone. He has reached the level he was expected to have and is fighting for the victories.
“The races before the Indianapolis have showed that my pace is good enough to battle in the leading positions”, says Kent, “I have also all the possibilities to improve my championship position significantly.”
For Sissis, who is having his first GP-season, the summer break came just on right time.
“I have practically been all the time in Europe since last Christmas”, Sissis says, “These three weeks at home in Australia were mentally really important.”
Indianapolis has hosted MotoGP-series since 2008. First season was literally stormy when the hurricane Ike hit to Indy on race day.
“Weather forecasts promise sunny weekend to Indianapolis”, Ajo says, “Stable circumstances are always welcome and especially to Indy, which is different than all the other circuits of the series. This circuit most likely is not the one riders prefer.”
The Indianapolis circuit, which got a new tarmac coverage last year, is 4216 meters long. The circuit is mainly inside the legendary oval of Indy.

Time Schedule for Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix (local time, GMT -4)
Friday 17th of August
09.15-09.55, 1st free practice
13.15-13.55, 2nd free practice

Saturday 18th of August
09.15-09.55, 3rd free practice
13.00-13.40, qualifying

Sunday 19th of August
08.40-09.00, warm up
11.00, Race

Circuit info
Length: 4.216 m. / 2,620 miles
Width: 16m
Left corners: 10
Right corners: 6
Longest straight: 872 m. / 0,542 miles
Constructed: 1909
Modified: 2007

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