Proton Team KR Prepare For Estoril Race And KTM Engine Test

Proton Team KR Prepare For Estoril Race And KTM Engine Test

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Categories:

From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:

PROTON PREPARES FOR DOUBLE TASK IN PORTUGAL

Proton Team KR go to next weekend’s Portuguese GP one rider short, but with something extra in the back of the team transporters.

As well as their own continuous modifications, and in addition to a full complement of new Dunlop tyres, the team will also have a Proton KR MotoGP chassis fitted with the Austrian KTM V4 MotoGP engine.

Certain to be the object of much intense interest, the hybrid test machine will not be seen in action until tests after the Portuguese race.

The race, 11th of 16 rounds and the last in the European season, will see Nobuatsu Aoki riding alone on the regular England-designed and built KR V5. Team-mate Kurtis Roberts will not race, still recuperating from injuries suffered in a qualifying crash at the previous round at Brno

Estoril, slowest track of the year, gives the team promising prospects for a repeat of Aoki’s points-scoring ride at that Czech Republic GP. Even though a hoped-for engine upgrade is still under development at Banbury, tests after the Brno race yielded a significant lap-time improvement, with a new generation of tyres from the team’s partners Dunlop.

But GP racing insiders will be looking beyond the race itself, towards the tests of the KTM engine on the following days. The V4 engine was built for the Austrian factory’s own planned MotoGP project, which they later cancelled, but engine development was continued. Until now, running has been limited to the test bench and dynamometer: this is the first time the powerful V4 has been fitted in a motorcycle chassis.

In fact, the hybrid has already run – in secret tests last Saturday at Brno. Nobu Aoki ran some 20 “shake-down” laps, to identify niggles that might spoil the first full test at Estoril.

“We wanted to blow out any cobwebs and see if there were any problems – to check that it shifted gear, didn’t overheat and so on,” explained team manager Chuck Aksland. “There were a few little problems, but first impressions were good.”

The main aim was to get the bike ready for the Estoril tests, he continued, which were a joint project between KTM and Proton Team KR.

“The aim is to assess the potential of the engine, which is of interest to KTM and ourselves,” said Aksland. “But at this stage there’s no policy on any future with the engine. It could be an option … but we just don’t know yet,” he said.

Kurtis Roberts suffered left elbow and wrist fractures in a wet-weather qualifying crash at Brno, and though he did not require surgery, it was decided late last week that he should remain in the USA to recuperate for the next round, the Japanese GP at Motegi in two weeks time. “It was too late to consider a replacement,” said Aksland.

After the Portuguese GP and the following tests, Proton Team KR join their MotoGP rivals for the start of a long-haul extravaganza: Japan, Qatar, Malaysia and Australia, before returning to Valencia for the final round at the end of October.

NOBU AOKI – REASONS TO BE OPTIMISTIC

After Brno we stayed on to test a lot of new tyres, both front and rear. Dunlop had new combinations of construction and compound. I found at least three tyres that I liked, and we were getting lap times one second fast. It seems Dunlop may have found a direction of development, and that means I can be optimistic about this race. The first ride with the KTM engine was very interesting, and I am looking forward to testing it after the race, but first I want to finish in the points again, like Brno.

Latest Posts

WorldSBK: Bulega Undergoes “Arm Pump” Surgery In Italy

Nicolò Bulega underwent surgery for compartment syndrome Nicolò Bulega underwent...

How To Identify Real Vanson Leathers

Vanson has been producing jackets, riding/racing suits, and other...

Kato Named New President Of Yoshimura Japan

Editorial Note: Yohei Kato is the grandson of Yoshimura...

Suzuki Hayabusa Anniversary Celebration Scheduled April 27 In Concord, NC

SUZUKI HAYABUSA ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION COMING TO CONCORD, NC “Hayabusa Homecoming”...

Oxley Bom Podcast: Hanging With Jorge

Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner...