MotoGP
The first pre-season MotoGP test of 2014 fast approaching...
On the surface of it MotoGP testing isn't the most riveting of things for observers, or even for those involved. It's lonely, time-consuming and involves long days of repetitiveness – but it's all in pursuit of glory.
Packing as many laps as possible into the official three-day tests that will precede the 2014 MotoGP season, each and every rider will be searching for that extra level of comfort and feel on the bike that could provide them with the tenth of a second that ultimately separates them from the rest.
For rookies it's usually a case of getting their head around the jump up to the much more powerful 1000cc MotoGP bikes, while for more seasoned heads all manner of tweaks – minor or major – are run through with teams and technicians to try and refine the bike set-up.
Each rider will have a special schedule devised for the entire three days that they will have planned out with their team.
Different versions of a chassis and engine may be ridden back to back to see how a new one matches up to the last, with swingarms and electronic settings also likely to be on the agenda too.
Tyre, suspension and brake technicians from the various manufacturers who supply the teams will also be heavily involved, as they too try and fine tune their components in search of improvements, while the riders search for the perfect combination of settings that work as close to perfecta s possible for them.
Riders will generally make runs of a set number of laps to give each modification a proper run-out, before returning to their garage to discuss how it felt alongside a comparison of electronic data that analyses various measurements on a deeper level. Lap times are not part of the pursuit, but are keenly observed as a way of trying to figure out just how quickly a rider is making progress.
Once the test is finished up the information gathered is quickly returned to the factories of the bikes and parts suppliers, where any possible further development within the tight timeframe is undertaken before refreshed updates are rolled out at the next test.
Following November's post-season test at Valencia the winter testing ban throughout December and January means that there are just six weeks in which to pack in the trio of official tests, meaning it'll be a busy pre-season for all involved.
MotoGP 2014 pre-season testing schedule:
February 4-6, 2014 – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia February 26-28, 2014 – Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia March 7-9, 2014 – Losail International Circuit, Qatar
