From a press release issued by Proton Team KR:
*MORE POWER FOR PROTON PAIR – BUT NOT YET*
The end of Grand Prix racing’s summer break takes Proton Team KR out of the workshop and back to the race-tracks, for next Sunday’s Czech Republic GP at Brno.
The task remains the same … to continue to unlock the potential of the ground-breaking KR V5 MotoGP prototype, and to use the hard-won race experience to gain strength for the future.
The 2004 KR V5 is the second version of the England designed and built 990cc V5 racer, and while some aspects of the machine have performed well, especially the innovative aerospace-standard chassis, progress has been held back by problems with the Mk2 engine, modified to fit within the chassis.
Flat out work at Banbury during the three-week break has proved rewarding in the search for the missing horsepower … but the fruit will not be immediately available, as team principal Kenny Roberts explains.
“Better motors are coming. During the break, our engineers found a crankcase modification that gave quite a bit more horsepower on the test bench,” said Roberts. Unfortunately, the modified component wasn’t strong enough. “It cracked, but we were able to use that for a redesign.
“That is being done now, but new parts take time, and it won’t be ready for Brno,” continued the former triple World Champion and veteran team owner.
“For this race, the machines will be better than at the last one, but there’s nothing earth-shaking,” he said. “Whether we have better results at Brno depends a lot on what new tyres Dunlop bring there,” said Roberts. The new-this-year partners have been making significant tyre developments all season, working closely with the British-based team.
“But the new engine should bring us a lot closer to the power level of the MotoGP class, and we’re hoping it will be ready for the next round in Portugal,” he said.
The team will stay on at Brno for two days of testing. Roberts also confirmed that his team has modified a chassis to test the Austria-built KTM V4 MotoGP engine after the Estoril round, but said: “For us, it’s just a test, to see how something different works; for them it’s a chance to see their engine go round a race-track.
“We’re not yet decided on our engine plans for next year,” he added.
The Brno GP, tenth of 16 World Championship rounds, gives racing a kick-start after the three-weekend summer layoff. Two weeks later the Portuguese GP closes the European season, and the circus sets off round the world again, via Japan, Qatar, Malaysia and Australia, before the final round in Valencia at the end of October.
*NOBUATSU AOKI: KEEP ON PUSHING*
I have done a lot of tyre testing at this track, so I feel I know it pretty well. It’s difficult, and interesting. It will be hard for us on the uphill straight, but on other sections horsepower is not so important. I hope we can use our handling advantage. I’m looking forward to being back on a racing bike again, and I’ll try my best, as usual.
*KURTIS ROBERTS: FIT AND READY*
I’ve just been relaxing in the break, enjoying being at home. And training, so I’m pretty fit and ready to go again. I’m not sure what to expect from the bike and the tyres after the break, though I know we have new stuff to test after the GP. I raced at Brno seven years ago on a 250, but it rained all weekend until the race, so I only have that much dry time. But I know where the corners go.