Due to its own race activities, there is a summary of the Grand Prix of France this time.
The weekend on the circuit of Le Mans began when the weather is best. Stefan started inFP1 with some problems, such as already usual with a not very harmonious setting of the electronics.
Stefan fell back while in the 45 minute session from place to place 14, but he took along quite well. To complain about he had a too aggressive power of the engine, this would have been too skinny in the lower speed range and the electronics to sharp “cuttings” intervened with the acceleration phase. This means that the driver can not really give full throttle and the bike produces many wheelies. This much could be tried on chassis and tires.
In FP2 it looked not quite much better, the team had to fight with the electronics. Stefan pursued during the turns of Valentino Rossi and was once more confirmed where the main problem lies, namely when accelerating. Stefan loses every curve 2/10, because the combination of engine power and electronics is not optimal. The motorcycle produced too many wheelies, because the power is not soft enough.
Even after the FP2, the team found no good basis, although Stefan was actually satisfied with the chassis. Only to facilitate the change of direction, the suspension should be made softer. For the cold conditions at Le Mans, the open teams received the supersoft rear tyre which produces a lot of grip but can’t use the Stefan, due to the problematic electronics. Besides the Yamaha so tiring to drive, is therefore that Stefan of according to flat after 3 laps. Bradl could be not satisfied with 15th place.
3. free practice was not to the liking of the team, as Stefan caught a soft tyre which established no grip, also broke the exhaust system of the exhaust manifold. With modified electronics, Stefan in the FP3 started, he told the times he went so now more easily by hand but not particularly long, because broke the exhaust.
So Stefan had to continue motorcycle with 2, which had a slightly different voting that he was well. Then, still a soft rear tyre was put, which however had no grip. Stefan felt pure and rough riding the curves like on ice. Thus were logically no better times. Thus, only the 18th remained for Stefan to jump the course not entitled directly in the Q2.
4. free training, which has however to mean neither for the starting grid for the qualifying began with a wet road surface. After the road slowly dried up ever again mess loses the time list. Stefan was long on the 7th, but slipped back to the end of the 30-minute session still to place 20. Fastest was Stefan’s team-mate Loris Baz but at the end, the reason for this was relatively easy, because Baz went first with slicks and carbon brakes on the train. The projection was therefore relatively significantly with over 1.2 seconds.
Then started the Q1. Only the 16th starting place remained because of unresolved problems with the electronics and the few grip with the super soft tyres for Stefan. For the race to earn a few points remain as a target. As the only option for the tyre choice, Stefan had to sit on the hard rear tyres, something else is not possible at the moment.
Sunday morning started as usual with the warm-up, Stefan rose on his Yamaha, which was fitted with a soft front and hard rear tyres. The weather was at its best and the team hoped to have the highest temperatures of the whole weekend. You should get the hard rear tyre contrary.
The team tried something with a different vehicle height to the “turning” and “sense of curves” to improve, but this change was not the desired effect, Stefan felt better with the old Setup.
This warm up ended Stefan after he long on P7 was ranked the 17. Miller, Baz and Hayden were three other open rider in head of Stefan, this led to any concern but with the soft rear tyre, were on the way.
This it was in the starting lineup, Stefan came back a little shaken from the warm-up lap, because the braking performance was not as usual. It took a long time until he brought the rings in the warm up lap on temperature and Stefan had to move much on the brake pressure.
Then the race started and Stefan came off well, after the first lap, he was already 12th to the start/finish line to cross the second round 11th, unfortunately was Stefan then not far, because in turn 6 Stefan crashed over the front wheel. Turn 6 is a right-hander who goes down. Stefan said that the brake pads not completely free ran the discs, may that led to the downfall.
Unfortunately once again a Grand Prix more, which brought no satisfactory result.
But we look forward, as the next GP Mugello in the beautiful Tuscany‘s turn!
