Photo: MotoGP.com
Still in contact with the MotoGP despite having retired from racing, Loris Capirossi speaks about the first racing event of the year, the official test at Sepang, Malaysia.
Scheduled for the end of this week, the MotoGP test at the Sepang International Circuit is the "first blood" event of the 2014 season, and the point where the first conclusions could be drawn at.
According to Capirossi, one of the most interesting things at the Sepang test will be to see how do the new production-racers in the Open Class (former CRT entries) fare against both factory machines and the rest of the Open entries.
So far the 2014 grid has tow manufacturers which are providing either production racers or leasing engines: Honda, with their RCV1000R machine and Yamaha, which has put their M1 engine in a FRT chassis.
The Italian legend believes that these Open Class machines will be closer to the factory ones and the whole racing season will be much more interesting.
As for winning the 2014 championship, Capirossi thinks it is more of a Marquez – Lorenzo affair, even though Dani Pedrosa will once more give his best in trying to secure his first world title in the premier class.
With Rossi now experiencing his first year back on Yamaha machinery, the battle for the title could also include him, Capirossi adds.
However, when it comes to the perpetually iffy Ducati business, Capirossi seems to just know that 2014 will be one more trying year. It looks like a new bike is needed, but it's not going to be this year.
Instead, Ducati is definitely making a move in trying to find out whether the spec Marelli software would make the Desmosedici any better.
And as Ducati Corse boss Gigi Dall'Igna said, a decision on going Factory or Open class will only be made after Sepang. Will more engines and more fuel be able to bring Ducati into the title fray?
Source motogp.com
According to Capirossi, one of the most interesting things at the Sepang test will be to see how do the new production-racers in the Open Class (former CRT entries) fare against both factory machines and the rest of the Open entries.
So far the 2014 grid has tow manufacturers which are providing either production racers or leasing engines: Honda, with their RCV1000R machine and Yamaha, which has put their M1 engine in a FRT chassis.
The Italian legend believes that these Open Class machines will be closer to the factory ones and the whole racing season will be much more interesting.
As for winning the 2014 championship, Capirossi thinks it is more of a Marquez – Lorenzo affair, even though Dani Pedrosa will once more give his best in trying to secure his first world title in the premier class.
With Rossi now experiencing his first year back on Yamaha machinery, the battle for the title could also include him, Capirossi adds.
However, when it comes to the perpetually iffy Ducati business, Capirossi seems to just know that 2014 will be one more trying year. It looks like a new bike is needed, but it's not going to be this year.
Instead, Ducati is definitely making a move in trying to find out whether the spec Marelli software would make the Desmosedici any better.
And as Ducati Corse boss Gigi Dall'Igna said, a decision on going Factory or Open class will only be made after Sepang. Will more engines and more fuel be able to bring Ducati into the title fray?
Source motogp.com
Google News