After good tests in Valencia and Jerez, the official IRTA test was now on the agenda for the Moto3™ class. CFMOTO riders Carlos Tatay #99 and Xavier Artigas #43 were able to continue the good performances of the pre-tests at the «Autódromo Internacional do Algarve» in Portimao and gathered further important information for the team.
The past three days were spent putting many kilometers on the track, testing and refining technical settings and continuously improving the feeling from the rider to the CFMOTO bike. The pace of the two pilots is good. Carlos Tatay in particular is able to set very fast times even without slipstream. Xavier Artigas is also finding more confidence from lap to lap after the manufacturer Change of his bike. Nevertheless, there is some potential that needs to be improved. The newly formed team around sporting director Tom Lüthi and technical director Massimo Capanna is satisfied with the work and looks to Qatar with confidence. The first race of the season on 6th March 2022 will show what the intensive preparations and hard training sessions are worth in direct comparison to the Moto3™ class field.
#99 Carlos Tatay
“It’s been a really good pre-season, not only in Portimao – also in Valencia and Jerez. It’s fun to work with the team, everything is going very professionally and we are improving from session to session. It gives me a good feeling, I understand the CFMOTO bike better and better – and now I’m looking forward to the first race in Qatar.”
#43 Xavier Artigas
“The feeling on the bike is getting better, the team is working hard and I’m happy with the past tests. Of course I want to improve my pace, that’s why I have to adapt my riding style even more.”
Tom Lüthi I Sporting Director
“The preparations for the season have been completed, and all in all everything has gone very positively. We had great luck with the weather because we were able to ride a lot and test a wide variety of settings. That’s important, because the team constellation is new each of the riders has new crew chiefs and mechanics – so it takes quite a bit of «track time». The time attack wasn’t quite optimal, so we have to work on that. The pace of Carlos and Xavier is really good and we were able to get closer to our limit from session to session. I’m looking forward to the next week to finally start and getting into real racing.”
Pictures by © [2022] FGlaenzel
