Mapfre Aspar Preview Austin Moto3

Tweet

The Circuit Of The Americas in Texas is preparing to host the MotoGP World Championship for only the second time this weekend as the series heads west across the Atlantic for another long-haul race before the start of the European road trip. After an opening night in the suburban desert of Qatar the stunning new facility on the outskirts of Austin presents another stern challenge for the Moto3 riders and their engineers, with its mammoth 5.513km of technical layout and, at 1.2km, the longest straight on the entire calendar. Miller, Márquez and Vázquez were the names inscribed onto the podium trophies in Doha but after a typically open start to the season in the minor category there could be any number of aspirants this weekend.

MAPFRE Aspar rider Juanfran Guevara is hoping to put himself amongst them as he travels to Austin in optimistic mood following an encouraging weekend in Qatar. The youngster made progress throughout his debut Grand Prix with the team and looked to have found extra pace for the race as he went with the frontrunners, only to be run off track by another rider. His short race was enough to demonstrate genuine potential, however, and he is keen to reap the fruit of all his hard work this weekend.

Juanfran Guevara: 

“I am really excited about the GP of the Americas and I am looking forward to building on the work we have done in preseason and in the first race in Qatar. It was a shame I was knocked off following a strong start to that race but we had a good weekend there. Even though we didn't come away from Losail with a good result the fact that we were competitive and made progress in every session gives us a lot of motivation going into this second round of the season. I loved riding at COTA last year; it is very technical with a lot of corners, with some tight sections that I think can be good for us. I am sure that we will do a great job again in Austin and I am really looking forward to getting out on track there. Hopefully luck will be on our side on Sunday and we can finish the race in a position that befits us.”

Mapfre Aspar Moto3 Press Release

read more...

Mapfre Aspar Race Review Losail Moto3

Tweet

The 2014 season got officially underway tonight and the pace couldn't have been hotter in the Moto3 class as Jack Miller and Alex Márquez backed up their preseason pace with some low 2'06s in the early stages of a race that they would dominate from start to finish. Alex Rins led the charge behind them and the group almost reeled them in, Rins clocking a new record (2.05.862) as they closed the gap but Miller held on to take the first win of 2014 and break a run of Spanish Moto3 success that stretches back to 2012. 

MAPFRE Aspar rider Juanfran Guevara could not have done anything better on his first appearance with the Valencian team but luck proved to be against him as, after a good start when he latched onto the front group and dipped into the 2'06 pace, he was taken out by another rider on the seventh lap. It was a bitter pill for the youngster to swallow, having qualified with a 2'07.111 but comfortably setting a 2'06.493 in the race, but he can now take the positives and head to the next round in Austin in optimistic mood.

Juanfran Guevara (DNF): 

“Even though we didn't finish the race tonight we have to look at this as a positive weekend. We have worked hard, improved our lap times and feeling over the course of the weekend and in the race we were able to get into the mid 2.06's, which we hadn't managed all weekend. I got a decent start, found myself a position in the front group and I was battling well, which was something I wasn't sure I could do. It's annoying because just when I was feeling most comfortable on the bike I was taken out by another rider and now I have to put it all behind me and look ahead to the next race in  Austin”.

Mapfre Aspar Press Release

read more...

Mapfre Aspar Preview Losail Moto3

Tweet

For the eleventh season the GP of Qatar provides the curtain raiser to the MotoGP World Championship this weekend and for the seventh season it holds the unique distinction of being held at night. Fascination under the floodlights is the order of the weekend at Losail, a fast and flowing circuit that has a bit of everything. The Moto3 World Championship gets underway with the main protagonists of last season now departed for Moto2 and a host of hungry young riders looking to stamp their authority on the championship.

Juanfran Guevara heads to the desert with a smile on his face after an intense but fruitful first preseason with the  MAPFRE Aspar Team. After making a swift adaptation to the Kalex/KTM machine the Spanish racer is now ready for the most important season of his career so far. He knows that with the MAPFRE Aspar Team he has the material at his disposition to take his career to the next level and the opportunity to be a frontrunner in the Moto3 category for the first time.  

Juanfran Guevara: 

“I am really looking forward to getting started at the first race of the season, where I hope we can confirm all the good work we have done during preseason. I know it's early but I would like to be running at the front. We had a really good end to preseason, we have very clear ideas about the bike and I think this will help us make a successful start to the season. Losail is a spectacular track with an interesting layout but it is not one of my favourite races, probably because of the fact it's run at night. Anyway, this year I go there with a completely different level of motivation.”

Mapfre Aspar Moto3 Press Release

read more...