Two-day Brno test gives Simoncelli RSA opportunity

A two-day test for the lower cylinder categories in Brno this week enabled some late preparations for the Alice Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, with Marco Simoncelli running the rule over the Gilera RSA machine.

The July 2nd-3rd testing activity also involved representatives from Red Bull KTM (250cc series leader Mika Kallio and teammate Hiroshi Aoyama plus 125cc rider Randy Krummenacher), Repsol KTM (Julian Simon in 250cc, Esteve Rabat & Marc Marquez in 125cc) and local Aprilia duo Lukas Pesek and Karel Abraham, but it was Simoncelli´s workload that could prove to have the most profound effect on the title picture in the quarter-litre category.

Second place in the World Championship, Simoncelli has been using the LE model provided by Gilera since the start of the season. He ran this bike alongside the newer RSA machine at the Czech Republic test, racking up some 300kms over the duration of the visit, and will now make a decision as to with which of the two he will continue his title challenge.

`The LE and the RSA are rather different in terms of both engine and structure. I was very curious as to what extent the machines contrasted, and I got a good idea of this,´ said Simoncelli, who ruled out an switch of bike until at least after the summer break.

`The work that we´ve done with the LE has made us confident at every track, and the familiarity gives me a lot of security. We´ll assess the situation in the coming days and decide whether to use the RSA some time this season.´