Calendar & Results
GP 2 : Spain
Simón seventh and Rabat twelfth
THE HAULOTTE RIDERS TAKE A STEP FORWARD IN JEREZ
THE HAULOTTE RIDERS TAKE A STEP FORWARD IN JEREZ
One of the most exciting moments of the season for the World Championship took place this weekend: the Spanish Grand Prix held in the Jerez Circuit, considered by the two-wheel enthusiasts as the motorcycle Mecca.
It’s an important moment especially for the Spanish riders. Amongst them Julito Simón, Tito Rabat y Marc Márquez. The three of them arrived in Jerez intending to offer the thousands of fans that had turned up at the Andalusian track a great weekend and put all their energy into it. But they weren’t all lucky, Márquez finally gave up in trying to debut in the World Championship when he realised on Friday that he still hadn’t recuperated from his injury. This factor, the physical condition, took over much of the Haulotte Group riders´ performance. Julito Simón and his 250cc KTM was one of the important protagonists during the two testing sessions, although in the end the results of the race were not as good as he expected, due to problems with his right forearm. On the other hand, Tito Rabat, who is still dealing with a bothersome collarbone that he broke in the preseason tests, made a gigantic effort in the 125cc race, which he was not very satisfied with. Even so, both of them, Julito and Tito, improved on their results in the first Grand Prix of the season held in Qatar.
Simón suffers, but improves
Little by little, Jultio Simón improved his bike’s tuning, proving, as well, the great job he had already done during the preseason in Jerez. During the first qualifying practice he was third, and he was only left out of the front row of the starting grid because of a mistake in the last lap of the qualifying practice on Saturday that almost landed him on the floor. “I made a mistake in the last lap and was about to fall. I was riding a very soft tyre, I started off with a lot of enthusiasm, and in the second corner I lost the rear. Even so, fifth place is a good result, although I would have liked to have been in the front row”.
Because of the good performances on Friday and Saturday, the expectations for the race were very high. Julito had a great start until he was brushedby Marco Simoncelli and made him fall behind. The Haulotte pilot didn’t not lose his composure and concentrated on gaining pace, until he noticed the same pains that had bothered him in the Qatar race, in his right forearm. “In the curve before the finishing line, I was overtaken by Bautista and Simoncelli, who brushed me and I had to open out. I lost some ground with that, and some more when Aoyama and Debón also touched me. But when there were still sixteen rounds left I started to have the same problem that I’ve been dealing with for too much time. My right forearm, the accelerator’s hand, cramped up and I couldn’t feel anything. I felt a lot of pain throughout the whole race”. A setback that forced Simón to pull himself together in order to finish with a good result. Finally, he was seventh, improving on the results in Qatar and making evident he was taking a big step forward. “It’s been a pity because circumstance allowed for a podium. I’m a little sad about this, but we did a good job this weekend. I want to thank my mechanics for their effort”.
Rabat adds his first points
His colleague Tito Rabat, had another complicated week. Rabat sweated it out to get maximum performance out of his KTM, but things didn’t turn out as he expected. “I don’t know why I still can go any faster. The truth is that it’s really a shame, because both the team and the bike are working very well. I am the one that is failing, but I am also working to my maximum”. With a 125cc class that is well known for its equality,Tito, who began in 16th place, had a great start, even overtaking eight riders. But slowly, Rabat began to fall behind, he was having problems with his rear tyre’s grip. “I’m a little upset because this morning in the warm-up it seemed as if the bike was doing well, but then it wasn’t so. I had a good start and tried to be at the head, but I don’t know what happened that after the third lap my rear tyre started to skid a lot. This made me lose many positions, because if not I could see I was going to fall”. Tito stayed amongst a group of riders such as Koyama, De Rosa and Cortese and, in spite of all the problems, managed to finish twelfth and add his first four points of the season. “I preferred to finish and add up some points than to fall, as I was pushing the bike to the limit the whole time and was still riding slowly. I want to thank the team for all their help, because I am going through a hard moment that they are trying to help me out of as soon as possible. Now it’s time to work towards the next race, cheer up and never stop trying”.
The next date, with a complete Haulotte team, will be in a couple of days. Starting the 11th of April in the Estoril Circuit where the Portuguese GP will be held.
The youngest rider in the World Championship travelled to Jerez
The protagonist in the 125cc box this Friday was Marc Márquez. The youngest rider in the World Championship travelled to Jerez just to find out what state the injury in his right forearm was in. Márquez put on his racing suit, boots and gloves, he got on his KTM but, unfortunately, felt too much pain in the injured area to risk a premature debut. “I was very excited about a debut here, but it hasn’t been possible. I got on the bike, but when I pressed on the brake my arm hurt me”. If there are no more setbacks, Marc might see his dream of racing in the World Championship in the upcoming Grand Prix in Portugal, come true.
It’s an important moment especially for the Spanish riders. Amongst them Julito Simón, Tito Rabat y Marc Márquez. The three of them arrived in Jerez intending to offer the thousands of fans that had turned up at the Andalusian track a great weekend and put all their energy into it. But they weren’t all lucky, Márquez finally gave up in trying to debut in the World Championship when he realised on Friday that he still hadn’t recuperated from his injury. This factor, the physical condition, took over much of the Haulotte Group riders´ performance. Julito Simón and his 250cc KTM was one of the important protagonists during the two testing sessions, although in the end the results of the race were not as good as he expected, due to problems with his right forearm. On the other hand, Tito Rabat, who is still dealing with a bothersome collarbone that he broke in the preseason tests, made a gigantic effort in the 125cc race, which he was not very satisfied with. Even so, both of them, Julito and Tito, improved on their results in the first Grand Prix of the season held in Qatar.
Simón suffers, but improves
Little by little, Jultio Simón improved his bike’s tuning, proving, as well, the great job he had already done during the preseason in Jerez. During the first qualifying practice he was third, and he was only left out of the front row of the starting grid because of a mistake in the last lap of the qualifying practice on Saturday that almost landed him on the floor. “I made a mistake in the last lap and was about to fall. I was riding a very soft tyre, I started off with a lot of enthusiasm, and in the second corner I lost the rear. Even so, fifth place is a good result, although I would have liked to have been in the front row”.
Because of the good performances on Friday and Saturday, the expectations for the race were very high. Julito had a great start until he was brushedby Marco Simoncelli and made him fall behind. The Haulotte pilot didn’t not lose his composure and concentrated on gaining pace, until he noticed the same pains that had bothered him in the Qatar race, in his right forearm. “In the curve before the finishing line, I was overtaken by Bautista and Simoncelli, who brushed me and I had to open out. I lost some ground with that, and some more when Aoyama and Debón also touched me. But when there were still sixteen rounds left I started to have the same problem that I’ve been dealing with for too much time. My right forearm, the accelerator’s hand, cramped up and I couldn’t feel anything. I felt a lot of pain throughout the whole race”. A setback that forced Simón to pull himself together in order to finish with a good result. Finally, he was seventh, improving on the results in Qatar and making evident he was taking a big step forward. “It’s been a pity because circumstance allowed for a podium. I’m a little sad about this, but we did a good job this weekend. I want to thank my mechanics for their effort”.
Rabat adds his first points
His colleague Tito Rabat, had another complicated week. Rabat sweated it out to get maximum performance out of his KTM, but things didn’t turn out as he expected. “I don’t know why I still can go any faster. The truth is that it’s really a shame, because both the team and the bike are working very well. I am the one that is failing, but I am also working to my maximum”. With a 125cc class that is well known for its equality,Tito, who began in 16th place, had a great start, even overtaking eight riders. But slowly, Rabat began to fall behind, he was having problems with his rear tyre’s grip. “I’m a little upset because this morning in the warm-up it seemed as if the bike was doing well, but then it wasn’t so. I had a good start and tried to be at the head, but I don’t know what happened that after the third lap my rear tyre started to skid a lot. This made me lose many positions, because if not I could see I was going to fall”. Tito stayed amongst a group of riders such as Koyama, De Rosa and Cortese and, in spite of all the problems, managed to finish twelfth and add his first four points of the season. “I preferred to finish and add up some points than to fall, as I was pushing the bike to the limit the whole time and was still riding slowly. I want to thank the team for all their help, because I am going through a hard moment that they are trying to help me out of as soon as possible. Now it’s time to work towards the next race, cheer up and never stop trying”.
The next date, with a complete Haulotte team, will be in a couple of days. Starting the 11th of April in the Estoril Circuit where the Portuguese GP will be held.
The youngest rider in the World Championship travelled to Jerez
The protagonist in the 125cc box this Friday was Marc Márquez. The youngest rider in the World Championship travelled to Jerez just to find out what state the injury in his right forearm was in. Márquez put on his racing suit, boots and gloves, he got on his KTM but, unfortunately, felt too much pain in the injured area to risk a premature debut. “I was very excited about a debut here, but it hasn’t been possible. I got on the bike, but when I pressed on the brake my arm hurt me”. If there are no more setbacks, Marc might see his dream of racing in the World Championship in the upcoming Grand Prix in Portugal, come true.
