There has been a reversal of fortunes in the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 garage.
Last year, it was Bradley Smith who was the clear top satellite rider, putting in strong and above all, sensible and consistent performances week in, week out, while Pol Espargaro tried hard to get the Yamaha M1 to do things it didn’t want to do, and either crashed or finished well down the order.
This year, it is Espargaro who has the consistency, while Smith is trying (and failing) to get the Michelins to do what he wants them to do.
The biggest switch for Espargaro has been the tires. More rear grip from the Michelins has given the Spaniard the control he was looking for, able to brake better and use the rear wheel to help stop the bike and get it lined up for the next corner.
That had never worked with the Bridgestones, but the Michelins have given him the confidence he needs.
The resulting confidence has allowed him to push harder, yet more predictably, and close the gap to the leading group. He has gotten faster, but above all, he has become far more consistent, staying on the bike, instead of crashing out. This has allowed him to capitalize on the mistakes of others.
At Le Mans, at Assen, at Barcelona, in Argentina, Espargaro finished in good position because others crashed out in front of him. His finish should have been better in Argentina, but he as pushed wide by Hector Barbera, which let Eugene Laverty through.
Despite the results however, Espargaro is still frustrated. His finishing position looks impressive, but the gap to the winner remains too big. The Tech 3 man keeps finishing between 20 and 30 seconds behind the winner, way behind where he wants to be.
The move to KTM is meant to address that: though Espargaro understands that the KTM RC16 will still need development, he will no longer have to wait in line behind other factory riders before getting upgrades.
Photo: © 2016 Tony Goldsmith / www.tonygoldsmith.net – All Rights Reserved
This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.
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