On Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th April, the GMT94 Yamaha team was at the Aragon circuit (Spain). All the participants of the WorldSSP Championship were invited to take part in two days of tests, before the first race weekend.
The conditions were very cold in the morning, but warmer in the afternoon. Jules and Andy worked well, and improved in each session.
Unfortunately, Jules had a crash on Tuesday morning in the second turn, which did not affect his confidence. Indeed, the rider of the #16 GMT94 Yamaha R6 finished both days at the top of the time sheet. Fast on one lap as well as on the race pace, Jules could even have pushed the pace further as he was slowed in his fast lap.
Andy Verdoïa finished the day in 14th place, but only 1.2 seconds behind his teammate. The level of the category is more and more competitive. Many former Grand Prix or Superbike riders are now present. Despite this, Andy is making progress each time he goes out.
Because of their size, the team is forced to add a few kilos to their Yamaha R6s. The two GMT94 riders have a heavier bike than their competitors. They remain competitive, and the whole technical team would like to congratulate them.
Jules Cluzel: “We had two good days of testing. We were unlucky this winter, as it rained a lot during our last two sessions. Despite that, we worked calmly, without focusing on our rivals. This strategy paid off, as I felt more and more comfortable with my Yamaha R6. Now we have to focus on the race weekend.“
Andy Verdoïa: “I’m a little disappointed with the final position of these two days, despite the fact that I’m only one second behind Jules. I gained confidence as the two days went by, despite the cool conditions. I hope to continue this momentum to aim even higher.“
See you this weekend, live on Eurosport, for the first round of the World Superbike Championship!