Qatar GP: CONSISTENT PROGRESS THE TARGET FOR THE OPENING ROUND
Stefan Bradl starts the 2016 campaign with subdued expectations as he was able to complete only a few days of testing with the team’s all-new Aprilia RS-GP.
This year’s championship promises a lot of excitement. Several new features and changes to the regulations are valid from the start of the new season, which will balance the competition even more. Apart from all these things, with Aprilia’s 2016 prototype a all-new bike is waiting in the German MotoGP rider’s box that he needs to make it competitive. First tests with the RS-GP were quite promisingly. But Bradl and his crew are clearly in mind that there are a lot of laps and kilometres more required for further development. From this point of view, the 26-year-old from Bavaria heads into this weekend’s opening round with the targets to achieve as much as possible improvements over the course of the Grand Prix of Qatar.
The first race of the season is always a special occasion. Not only from the perspective of the riders who are hot and hungry to fight for points and victory finally, but this event as a night race brings something special in itself. The championship round in Qatar which is already for years the season opener and in all the years since the Grand Prix of Qatar is held in the evening hours, the pompous floodlighting has proved itself from the very first night so that really every rider in world championship is anxious to experience this not everyday opportunity.
#6 Stefan BRADL (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Aprilia):
“I have been waiting anxiously for the first race because 2016 promises to be a really exciting year for us. The winter was rather long and I’m pleased that it starts to count on the race track. Even if we had a only few days of testing with our new bike, we’ll try to give the most straight away. There are still many things to improve, particularly to understand the bike and the characteristics better. It will be important too, that we make progress during every session. The race itself will become a difficult task but rather than setting our goals on results we need to aim for consistent growth. I’m really looking forward to get to work again with my team and my Aprilia RS-GP.”
Stefan BRADL’s Profile:
Age: 26 (geboren am 29. November 1989)
Occupation: Rennfahrer
Height: 172 cm
Weight: 63 kg
Bike: Aprilia RS-GP
Racing number: 6
First Grand Prix: 2005 – Catalunya, 125ccm
Frist Grand Prix Pole-Position: 2008 – Indianapolis (125cc) / 2011 – Qatar (Moto2™) / 2013 – USA(MotoGP™)
First schnellste Rennrunde bei einem Grand Prix: 2008 – Indianapolis (125cc) / 2011 – Malaysia (Moto2™)
First Grand Prix Podium: 2008 – Qatar (125ccm) / 2010 – Portugal (Moto2™) / 2013 – USA (MotoGP™)
Frist Grand Prix Sieg: 2008 – Tschechien (125ccm) / 2010 – Portugal (Moto2™)
Grand Prix Victories: 7 (2 in 125ccm / 5 in Moto2™)
Grand Prix Podium: 19 (6 in 125ccm / 12 in Moto2™ / 1 in MotoGP™)
Grand Prix Pole-Position: 8 (7 in Moto2™ / 1 in MotoGP™)
Grand Prix fastest race lap: 5 (2 in 125ccm / 3 in Moto2™)
Grand Prix Starts: 156 (54 in 125ccm / 33 in Moto2™, 69 in MotoGP™)
MotoGP™ Time Schedule for the Grand Prix of Qatar (CET):
Thursday, 17 March: 17:55 – 18:40 FP1
Friday, 18 March: 16:00 – 16:45 FP2
Friday, 18 March: 18:55 – 19:40 FP3
Saturday, 19 March: 17:55 – 18:25 FP4
Saturday, 19 March: 18:35 – 18:50 QP1
Saturday, 19. March: 19:00 – 19:15 QP2
Sunday, 20 March: 15:00 – 15:20 Warm Up
Sunday, 20 March: 19:00 Race (22 laps – 118.36 km)
Facts Losail International Circuit:
First time venue of the GP of Qatar: 2004
Length: 5,380 meters
Width: 12 meters
Longest Straight: 1,068 meters
Left turns: 6
Right turns: 10
Best MotoGP™ Pole-Position: 1´53.927 (2008)
MotoGP™ lap record: 1´55.153 (2008)
Stefan Bradl‘s Results 2015: Grid position 18 / 16.
MotoGP™ Calendar 2016:
20 March – Grand Prix of Qatar, Losail International Circuit
3. April – Gran Premio de la República Argentina, Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo
10. April – Grand Prix of the Americas, Circuit of the Americas (COTA)
24 April – Gran Premio de Espana, Circuito de Jerez
8 May – Grand Prix de France, Bugatti Circuit Le Mans
22 May – Gran Premio d‘Italia, Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
5 June – Gran Premi de Catalunya, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
26 June – TT Assen, TT Circuit Assen
17 July – Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, Sachsenring
14 August – Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, Red Bull Ring
21 August – Grand Prix Ceske republiky, Automotodromo Brno
4 September – British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit
11 September – GP di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, Misano World Circuit
25 September – Gran Premio de Aragon, Motorland Aragon
16 October – Grand Prix of Japan, Twin Ring Motegi
23 October – Australian Grand Prix, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
30 October – Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Sepang International Circuit
13 November – Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana, Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo