Johann Zarco

Today is the last Friday of free practice before the summer break for the 125cc and Moto2, and as has been the case several times so far in the season, Thursday’s sessions brought rain, while today brings sunshine and hot temperatures.

125cc class rider Johann Zarco, riding today on his 20th birthday, had some trouble with his bike at the beginning of the session and lost twenty minutes trying to find a better setup. The team was quick to set up the motorcycle, and Zarco immediately started to improve.  However, due to his problems with the bike, he closed this session in only 17th position. His team is confident for tomorrow though, now that the young rider can focus his attention in riding and not on the setting of the bike.

Valentin Debise

Today’s practice sessions were also unlucky for Moto2’s Valentin Debise who went down while in 25th position. He came away uninjured, but damage to the bike made it impossible for him to return to the track for the final session.  He finished in 38th position without any real chance to improve his lap times.

JOHANN ZARCO – 17th position (1’30.102 – 19 laps):
“Today we were a bit unluckily. At the beginning of the session, we had a problem with the bike that didn’t switch on and we lost 20 minutes. Then I was quiet when I started and I only took my landmarks. We didn’t change my bike setting because our objective was to take the faster riders like models and try to follow them. Unluckily, I was unable to follow them, because every time someone stopped or eased himself, and for this reason I lost time and I didn’t improve my lap time.  Anyway, I well understood my errors and I gave important information at my chief mechanic. For sure tomorrow will be better.”

VALENTIN DEBISE – 38th position (1’28.859 – 9 laps):
“I started well, I was riding alone, I had a perfect rhythm and I was 25th. Then we changed the tires with new ones and probably I pushed too much. I made an error at the corner entrance, I lost the front and regretfully I fell down.”

A crash during Saturday's session affected Valentin Debise's performance for the rest of the weekend

Johan Zarco struggled all weekend with the setup of his Aprilia

The WTR San Marino Team returned to the Andalusian track of Jerez de la Frontera this past weekend, less than 20 days since they last tested at the circuit. This time they were treated to warm weather and clear skies for the Saturday session, but Sunday’s rain showers dampened their progress after a much-improved first session.

During the first day of testing, Moto2 rider Valentin Debise crashed just minutes from the end of his session, but neither he nor the bike suffered any serious damage. 125cc rider Johann Zarco experimented with his setup throughout most of the session, which saw his laps times continue to improve.

Both riders scored their best times of the weekend during Saturdays tests, with Debise posting a time of 1:45.852 (compared to 1:44.00 posted by Claudio Conti on day three), and Zarco with a time of 1:49.157 (a best of 1:46.492 was posted by Marc Marquez later in the weekend).

Unfortunately, on Sunday, problems hindered the progress of the team, with technical problems on Johan Zarco’s 125cc machine interrupting his session.  Valentin Debise blamed the heat and the previous day’s fall to his lack of performance.

Only the last day today was marred by time: the sky was cloudy, in fact, downloaded during the first afternoon and rain ruined the final rehearsals. The 125 team has set today a good engine and good chassis, although he struggled a lot and lost some ‘the road during the past few days, bringing the pilot not to feel at ease with his Aprilia. When they are able to solve these problems, the rain ended the round.

The final sessions on Sunday were cut short by afternoon rain showers. Zarco had spent much of the morning adjusting setups, and by the time he felt comfortable with his Aprilia, the rain had moved in. Debise had already logged most of the 750km allowed for Moto2 testing, so he turned his final 30 or so laps before the weather turned sour.

The WTR San Marino Team will now turn its focus to preparing for the first race in Qatar, April 10.

Johann Zarco:
“I’m not very happy with the results of the three days of testing because I hoped to be among the top six. We made some changes to the setup, and the engine was very strong, but I did become tired. The bike was good today, but I lost a little confidence. By the time we had everything working, it was too late to improve because the rain came. But I’m confident we have prepared well for the first race, and we will do well.”

Valentin Debise:
“We were able to run successful tests this weekend compared to our previous tests at Jerez. We worked a lot on wide lines in preparation for Qatar, because here is very similar – not so bad – then also in anticipation of the race. Let’s see how it goes.”

Valentin Debise

Just a few days after the end of the first International Road Racing Teams Association privateer teams test at Valencia, the WTR San Marino Team returned to testing; this time in the rain at Jerez.

The first day, Saturday, was characterized by strong rain, which made it impossible to enter the track until 2pm, when, fortunately, the rain let up.  Both 125cc rider Johann Zarco and Moto2’s Valentin Debise gave the best of themselves, with Zarco finishing 2nd with a time of 1′57.479 – just 8 tenths off the pace -  and Valentin Vazquez finishing with the sixth-best time of 1′57.92; less than two seconds behind the Moto2 class leader, Alex De Angelis.

During the day Sunday, bursts of rain disturbed almost every session, forcing teams to withdraw almost every hour. The track remained wet and did not help either rider, who both posted their best times during the morning sessions. Debise finished 18th with a time of 1′46.821, and Zarco finished 11th with a fastest time of 1′50 .795.  Zarco also crashed twice during the day; once in the morning and once during the afternoon session.

Rain continued into Monday, and rather than risk injury to its riders and damage to its machines, the WTR San Marino Team called an end to their testing. IRTA testing continues at Jerez from March 27-29.

Johann Zarco
“These tests were a bit unstable, ruined by [lack of] time and by the heavy rain which fell. We could not try everything we wanted, but at least we managed to test a new engine, on which my mechanics have worked hard all winter and was really going strong.  We were therefore very happy about it. Saturday we rode until the afternoon because the morning was impossible for the wet track. I felt very good and the bike felt good. In fact, I finished in second place – positive for me and for the team.
Sunday we rode in both wet and dry conditions, but I didn’t feel as good as on the bike as I did at Valencia and I had no confidence. I should have stopped in to make more adjustments, but I kept racing, knowing that I had some problems, but it was a mistake because they continued, and I fell and ended my day. Throughout the evening the mechanics worked hard to fix the bike and to recover the lost time, but the weather wanted something else
I wanted to thank the mechanics for the work that they did on the bike and thank them for their efforts.
They are real fans and push me to always do better. I’m really happy because the bike is competitive and I have competent mechanics. I just have to relax and focus on my riding to catch up. ”

Valentin Debise
“Jerez is a circuit that is very different than Valencia, and we had to change the setup of the bike because it was all new to us. In Valencia there were only tight corners, whereas here they are very wide: so it was very, very different. Now I think we can be ready for the next test, here at Jerez later this month. “

“A country as dependent on tourism as is the Republic of San Marino can gain important benefits from large, international sporting events like [the MotoGP Championship],” said San Marino Secretary of Tourism and Sport, Fabio Berardi.  The Most Serene Republic of San Marino (its official name) Office of State for Tourism held a press conference to announce the small country’s continuing partnership with WTR that will see its teams contest MogoGP’s 125cc and Moto2 classes

Now in its seventh consecutive season, the WTR San Marino Team will be managed by Loris Castellucci. Frenchman Johan Zarco – the 2007 MotoGP Red Bull Rookies Cup champion – will pilot the team’s 125 Aprilia, as he did last year when he finished in 20^th position as a class rookie.  Fellow countryman Valentin Debise makes his move from the 250 CIP Honda team to lead WTR San Marino’s Moto2 charge.