Sebastian Risse (KTM) : Our Pre-season Tests This Year Were Satisfactory

RiderTua.com – The only structure that KTM relies on is the chassis technology developed in-house with WP, are there any big changes here? Sebastian Risse (KTM Technical Manager) answered, “That’s right. Nothing has changed in the system and thanks to the experience we gained, we are now at a very high level. Technologically, of course we have changed some things.”

“The fork updates were made in small steps. While the basic concept remained, a number of details were adjusted. And the riders unanimously considered this a big step. We still have to see how this affects the overall race distance, but I think the changes have been take us forward,” added Risse.

Sebastian Risse (KTM): Unlike Last Year which was Stressful, Our Pre-Season Test This Year Was Satisfying

Entering the first race, how does Risse feel with the engineering team? “This year we are at a point we have never reached before. For the first time we are very satisfied because all the riders were able to complete a long distance race. Honestly, at the last pre-season test, it was the darkest moment of the season even in years which actually went very well,” Risse replied.

“Today we can concentrate fully on improving and say that we have made the bike 0.2 to 0.3 seconds faster. But it also depends on other people’s view of the situation. It looks like Ducati has made quite a big step, but also is on a very special track. I feel like our steps are pretty universal.”

So this is a better starting point? “However, last year our mood was nothing short of depressed after the pre-season tests. Things were completely different this year. The test in Sepang in particular, was very positive. We really worked hard there, but it was worth it. In Malaysia we achieved everything “What we want, including long-term achievements and time attacks. We can see it as time goes by. But that also means there are no more excuses at this time,” said the KTM technical manager.

Aerodynamic issues play a bigger role than in the past. How will Risse approach this area in 2024? “We already tested the new configuration with the Red Bull drivers in Valencia. Then there were other tests also carried out by Jonas (Folger). Based on these results, several versions were developed for Sepang during the winter. The configuration was made in such a way that we had a lot of freedom to combine parts -part. We sorted out the variants so well at Sepang that we only confirmed them in Doha. It was important for us not to introduce something new in the final stages of testing,” said Risse.

Did Risse start the season with uniform aerodynamics? “This is determined by homologation. Aero updates are permitted throughout the season. This means that each rider has two different configurations to choose from throughout the season. We can move within the homologated parts. That means we can mix things up quite well. We differentiate four areas. There are variants of the front fender, upper fairing, actual main fairing (main body) and keel, namely the area around the swing arm (Area A). These elements can be used to create different profiles, something for special situations high or low speed,” explained Risse.

Is there an aerodynamic package that can be changed from track to track? “On paper, that’s true. But in practice, the rider plays a decisive role. Riders react very differently. Some people are very sensitive about this because they’re afraid that aerodynamic changes will also throw off other bike settings. Others feel the difference but have no desire to adapt to another setting,” Risse said.

What is the difference between Brad Binder and Jack Miller in this regard? “Brad is a pretty extreme example. He doesn’t handle a lot of areo changes well. Brad prefers to get aerodynamics just once and then just think about the next set-up of the bike from one track to another. Jack is flexible. Of course, this also depends “on how big the differences are between each variant. It must be said that in the past the differences were much bigger. Now that the basic aero concept has been determined, we are working on more details and the differences are not so serious,” answered Risse.

Who decides the configuration on the track, the drivers or Sebastian Risse? “The responsibility here lies with the technology. But in the end decisions are always taken together as a team and don’t always have to be the same. In our team we have a very good understanding between technology and racers,” he answered.

Last weekend the World Endurance Car Championship took place in Qatar. How much does he think his trajectory will change again? “Of course it can have an effect. But I don’t think the Losail effect is serious. The track is in the desert and the impact is so big that the conditions here can change every day,” concluded Sebastian Risse.