A constructive Misano test for HRC rider Lecuona, HRC test rider Nagashima and a “special trackside observer”
Team HRC has been at the Misano World Circuit this week for another test session. Factory rider Iker Lecuona was out on track on both Tuesday and Wednesday, the hot and dry conditions in Italy allowing for uninterrupted work.
Having recently undergone surgery on his right hand, Xavi Vierge was unable to participate in the riding this week but was nevertheless in the garage with the team, keeping track of developments, watching some of the action trackside, and taking the time to analyse all the data together with his technicians.
For this test, Iker was joined on track by factory HRC test rider Tetsuta Nagashima. The Japanese rider worked intensively alongside Lecuona over the two days of testing, something that he will do again over the weekend of 5-7 August, as part of the #33 Team HRC: along with BSB Honda rider Takumi Takahashi, Lecuona and Nagashima will compete in the iconic Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race with a factory bike based on the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP.
The two riders and their technical teams spent the sessions focusing largely on the electronics, geometries and balance of the bike, comparing different set-ups with those used at the recent Misano WorldSBK round.
Having completed all the work it had planned, Team HRC is pleased with the progress made during these sessions. The team will now continue its work back at base in preparation for round five of the Superbike World Championship, which will play out at the Donington Park circuit in the UK over the weekend of 15-17 July.