The technical team for the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup is now finalising preparations of the 22 Honda NSF250R motorcycles to contest the first Official Test for the series, to be staged at MotorLand Aragon from 17-20 February.
The Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup is a brand-new feeder series to the MotoGP™ World Championship from 2014 onwards, looking to find racing talents from the Asian region and headed up by rider mentor Alberto Puig.
“We are at a time of maximum activity,” Puig explains. “We received the bikes at the end of last year and we are now assembling new components. It is important that all of the preparation is done correctly before the first test in Aragon, as after that we will only have enough time to repair and revise them before heading to the first race of the season in Qatar on 23 March.”
Referring specifically to the upcoming MotorLand test, Puig continues, “There are several objectives. From a technical point of view, we want to be able to confirm that everything is working correctly. Regarding the riders, they will have four days at MotorLand. For many of them it will be their first time on a racing motorcycle, as many of them have come straight from scooters, street bikes and so on. They will need to understand the feeling of the bike, the slick tyres and so on.”
“In a Cup like this you are looking for riders, not for mechanical differences. We must therefore ensure that the bikes are identical in terms of engine performance. The rest – chassis and suspension settings – will be adjusted according to each rider. The ultimate goal is that it will be the rider who makes the difference.”
The inaugural Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup season will be an eight-race contest in countries Qatar, Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Japan.
