The Mapfre Aspar Team were once again greeted by adverse weather conditions on their arrival at the Albacete circuit this morning, when damp conditions due to yesterday’s rainfall meant they were unable to take to the track until 1pm. Unusually cold temperatures for this time of year (13ºC) and winds of up to 45km/h did not make for ideal conditions, although both Julián Simón and Mike Di Meglio were able to gain some crucial track time in the afternoon.
With yesterday’s planned one-day session cancelled due to the rain, the pair made the most of the opportunity today with Simón competing 64 laps and Di Meglio 58. The Spaniard and the Frenchman rode non-stop until after 5pm as they looked to get as comfortable as possible with the new machines they will contest the upcoming French Grand Prix with and they were both happy with its performance. Julián set a consistent pace of low 1’32s, clocking a best effort of 1’31.99 at the end. Mike, meanwhile, was lapping mainly in the 1’33s and suffered a crash at the end of the straight, escaping without injury.
Julián Simón 1.31.99 (64 laps): “I’m really pleased with the Albacete test because it was useful to get to know the Suter. The main inconvenience today was the cold and the wind but we were able to do a lot of work on the front suspension, trying to iron out the chattering, although it was difficult to get rid of it completely because it was so hard to get the tyres up to temperature in these conditions. In general I am satisfied because the test has given us a chance to get to know the bike and we have got some homework done before France. The feeling with the bike was good, the mechanics have also got some experience with it now too and I’m sure we’ll be able to get straight on the pace at Le Mans. “
Mike Di Meglio 1.33.30 (58 laps): “Today was a positive day because we were able to get some work done despite the cold and wind. I did a tonne of laps that were useful to get to know the Suter and even though I didn’t know the track, which is quite tricky, I felt comfortable and gradually established a feeling for the bike. It is a shame that I crashed in turn one near the end of the day and it was a pretty stupid crash. I was just pushing to find the limit because I felt very comfortable and confident, especially with the front end, but I braked too hard and it folded. Luckily we escaped any serious consequences and we’re ready for Le Mans.”
Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: “Our second day at Albacete was also affected by the weather but fortunately the whole team was able to get some work done. It is positive because both Julián and Mike got to know the bike a little and they won’t be starting from scratch at Le Mans. It was a positive first contact with the bike but there is still a lot of work to do and the riders need more time to get used to the bike. Whatever happens they will work their hardest to pick up a good result in France.”
