The last official bout of MotoGP action in 2023 concluded at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia as the one-day IRTA test allowed teams and riders to try new parts and ideas well ahead of the 2024 season. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ploughed through an aerodynamic and electronic test program and ended the session with both riders in the top nine of the fastest lap-times.
Afternoon sunshine arrived to coat the last three hours of the Valencia test and the first strains of work towards the 22-round 2024 MotoGP season. With just 70 days between the laps in Spain – less than two days after the final race of the 2023 campaign in which Red Bull KTM claimed a podium finish – and the next test outing in Malaysia, there was plenty of data to collect, components for Brad Binder and Jack Miller to try, and ideas to be evaluated.
Clearly on display was the next development of the RC16 aerodynamics package but the factory crew also clicked off a number of internal question marks with the bike’s setup. Binder had a push at a time attack and ranked 2nd after sitting around the top ten for most of the day with his fifth effort of the test. Miller accumulated more laps and moved to 9th position from the full allotment of 23 riders working in Spain.
Brad Binder, 2nd: “Today we tried a few different things with aero, some exhausts. We didn’t have anything big or radical but we learnt a lot about what we did use, and that’s the most important thing. We played with some electronics to try and put the bike a bit more ‘in our hands’ and that was cool but there is still some room to work. Everything was pretty much the first starting point towards the next test in Malaysia.”
Jack Miller, 9th: “A busy day and the weather conditions were not ideal but I’m happy enough. We tested a lot and we already have a clear direction for where we want to improve. We are working hard to make a broader power range, we tried some aero, and we made a step with grip today so I’m happy with that. Pleased to have reached the end of the season. It’s been a hectic year!”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Just one day here in Valencia so a matter of getting through as much as we could. It was important to collect information for the winter work for the Sepang test. We never stop evolving the bike, there was a lot during the race weekends as well, so we are not looking for big steps. We need to work on little details and the rider needs to understand how and where to use the potential. We are looking for small gains on electronics, aerodynamics, everywhere. We know our engine is strong and the chassis is the first spec of the new technology: there are plenty of areas where we can still work.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “After some intense weeks we had one last chance to work on the next steps and I think we – the team and the riders – did a great job exploring some directions for aero because this is the thing to homologate for next year. We also had some other projects like the exhaust with a lot of mapping behind it, some engine management with a view towards next year’s fuel. I believe we really learned a lot today, and there is a lot of input that can help us for next year. I don’t think we are on the final version of anything we have tried but it was very important to get all this feedback. It has been a very high workload in the last weeks and the team did great. I’m proud of that and I think we can look forward to a very good season next year.”
- From KTM Factory Racing
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