Somkiat Chantra, the Thai rookie joining MotoGP in 2023, faced a delayed start to his Shakedown test at Sepang due to bike preparation. Despite missing the first day, Chantra focused on adapting to the speed, braking, tires, and lean angles of MotoGP, drawing insights from HRC test rider Taka Nakagami.
Somkiat Chantra , one of the three rookies in this year's MotoGP season, had a delayed start to his preparations at the Sepang MotoGP Shakedown test. The Thai rider sat out the first day of the three-day test, only taking to the track on days two and three. Chantra explained that his absence on the opening day was due to the team focusing on getting his two new, 2025-spec Honda RC213Vs ready for testing.
'We had three days to test, and I worked only two days to test because the team was preparing the bike ready for testing two days,' he said. 'Now, my team wants me to work with the 2025 bike and see how it’s going compared to 2024.' While Chantra's pace was initially slower than the other two rookies, Ai Ogura and Fermin Aldeguer, he steadily improved throughout the test. 'The first day like always I try to go to check the bike and also try to know electronics, try to learn the electronics with the bike,' he said. 'I tried to use the device really in the good places because when I compared with Taka on last year there were also some points where I was slower than him to put the rear device. Now we are going in a good direction.' Chantra benefited from the guidance of Taka Nakagami, who, after retiring from racing, has become an official HRC test rider. Nakagami rode alongside Chantra and shared valuable data. 'Taka said 'You're riding easy,' and I just enjoyed first because now is the moment to start with the bike and also get the feeling with the bike,' Chantra shared.Like Aldeguer, who highlighted braking as the biggest MotoGP adaptation, Chantra also identified braking as a key challenge, along with speed, tires, and lean angle. 'For me, the most difficult thing first is the speed,' he admitted. 'and also the point to stop the bike. Because now, changing to carbon brakes, for me the point is different than Moto2, and also the speed to go into the corner is different to Moto2.' He added: ' When I used Michelin the first time, then when we come here, for me they give us a different than Moto2, a lot. And also with lean angle I feel like I never stop , but when I compare with Taka it’s still far lean angle. But my team always says 'Sure this will come soon, you need to learn step-by-step'.' Chantra was one of the most active riders on the final day, emphasizing the physical demands of MotoGP and the need for him to build his strength. 'For me, yes, quite destroyed, but I know,' Chantra said after the test. 'When I jumped to Moto2 for the first time, my body was destroyed like this, and after that my body adapted with the bike and it okay.'
MOTOGP Rookie Somkiat Chantra Sepang Shakedown Test Adaptation Taka Nakagami Honda
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