Team pleased with Wilairot performances
Tuesday, 06 May 2008
In his second year in the World Championship 250cc rider Ratthapark Wilairot is gaining further experience and starting to get some notable results.
With his rider Ratthapark Wilairot finishing eighth at the Pramac Grand Prix of China, to equal his best World Championship result to date, Thai Honda PTT SAG team owner Eduardo Perales is more than happy with the progress of the 20 year-old 250cc competitor.
Having undertaken a full season in 2007 Wilairot´s maiden campaign was treated simply as a learning experience, though he managed one top ten finish when he crossed the line eighth at Donington and he finished the year with 30 points on the board.
Four races into 2008 and Wilairot has already gained 18 points, scoring at every round so far equalling his best 2007 result as he continues to look more comfortable at every round.
His performance in the tricky conditions in Shanghai, like those at Donington last year on a wet surface, earned praise from his team boss Perales who commented, `Ratthapark did a very good job using his brain throughout the race. At the beginning he was fighting hard with (Mattia) Pasini who ended up third.´
`Then in the second half the tyre grip went off as the temperature went up and he was losing a bit of power with the engine at the top end in terms of rpm. So he used his head to get the best result.´
On Wilairot´s aims for this year, which he has started in consistent form to put him 13th in the general classification after four rounds, Perales said, `Our target for this season is the top ten. It is difficult because there are so many good riders in the World Championship, but I think he can do it.´
Meanwhile, giving an assessment of the competitiveness of the race prototype at his rider´s disposal the team chief revealed, `Our machine is the same spec as Andrea Dovizioso´s from last year and he was second in the championship. Some people say it is not a good machine because Honda are not developing it, but I think it is good. You just need a strong rider to get 100% from the machine.´
