Red Bull KTM Ajo riders draw positive conclusions from first two days of testing at Jerez.

This Thursday, Bo Bendsneyder and new Red Bull KTM Ajo teammate Niccolo Antonelli completed the first two days of the 2017 preseason, in a test at the Jerez Circuit. The Moto3 pair ended the test happy and having enjoyed the benefit of extended track time thanks to fine weather.

For the second consecutive day, Bo Bendsneyder was amongst the fastest riders in the class. The Dutchman, who completed a total of 86 laps, had two positive days of testing, capped with a small race simulation. Niccolo Antonelli continued his adaptation to the KTM this Thursday, improving his feeling with his new machine. The Italian escaped unharmed after crashing in this second day, and put in a total of 59 laps.

The preseason 2017 continues next Monday and Tuesday in Valencia, with the final test before the winter break.

Aki Ajo – Team Manager
“It’s been two important testing days with the new 2017 KTM here in Jerez. Bo [Bendsneyder] is starting his second year in the class and with KTM, and is very confident already as part of the group. I have to say that he has done a great job, being very consistent and gathering very important data for the factory and the team. For Niccolo [Antonelli] it was the first time he rode with the KTM. It’s never easy to change manufacturer and he wanted to go step by step, looking for the best possible feeling. It will be important to continue working hard in Valencia and to collect as much data as possible there.”

#23 Niccolo Antonelli
“This second day in Jerez has been useful for continuing testing different aspects of the new KTM. We were able to push on with some setups and discard others. The whole team are working very well to find the perfect setup for next season. Next week, in Valencia, we will continue in the same way so as to reach the winter break with the work as far along as possible.”

#64 Bo Bendsneyder
“This second day was another very positive one. In particular, in the first few hours we tried different setups, although it was not at that time that we set our best lap time. At the end we put on the soft tyres and our one-off time was really good, considering the track conditions. We had had time to do a race simulation and the pace was good. There is still work to be done, so I can’t wait to get back on the bike in Valencia.”