Honda's Kalex frame “different, but I don't know if it's faster”
While no official confirmation of the Kalex was given by HRC there were also no denials and subtle design differences to the usual Honda chassis pointed to test rider Stefan Bradl having one of the German-built frames in his pit box.
Bradl, who won Kalex’s first Moto2 title in 2011, favoured the new bike in terms of track time - but when the 33-year-old fitted some black prototype aero to it just before 2pm he went on to suffer a fast accident at Turn 5.
While the German escaped serious injury, the bike sustained significant damage. However, HRC mechanics were able to repair it in time for Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir to make a late run…
Unfortunately, the bike then suffered an electrical problem, perhaps linked to the earlier accident, before the 2020 world champion could complete a lap.
“What do I think about Stefan's [Kalex] bike? I only made one lap. Because I had an electrical problem, so on the exit of Turn 5, I had my teeth on the dashboard!” Mir said.
“So I could just make one lap, and in one lap you can't make any conclusions. Can be positive, maybe, but we must try in a better way than this.”
While Bradl didn't speak to the media, Mir relayed what he had been told by the German: “Stefan was happy. Obviously the riding style of Stefan is a bit different [but] I'm sure that bike is different.
“On the out lap, you feel that it's different. But I don't know if it's faster. So this is what we have to know.”
“You understand that the concept is a little bit more different,” he added. “You have probably more feedback on what's happening on the wheels. But that's it. So I cannot say so much, because one lap warming up the tyres, is not the proper way to speak about it.”
However Mir - who struggled throughout the Spanish MotoGP race weekend, including crashing out of both races - doesn’t expect to try the frame during the upcoming French Grand Prix.
“I think no, honestly,” he said.
LCR’s Alex Rins, who ended Honda’s 18-month win drought at COTA, said he was “surprised” that Mir was also given the chance to try the bike.
“I was quite surprised, because originally they said to me that only Stefan is going to test the new frame, the new chassis and I heard on TV that Joan also tried,” Rins said. “Unluckily his bike was stopping in corner six, but I was quite surprised about this.”
Repsol Honda team manager Alberto Puig also avoided using the word ‘Kalex’, but told MotoGP.com: “It’s too early to make a clear statement. For now the vibes are positive, but only Stefan could test it [the Kalex frame] and we would like other riders to give their opinion. But the first inputs are good.”
Takaaki Nakagami, who also didn't get to try the Kalex, was the fastest Honda rider in 12th followed by Mir in 15th, Rins in 17th and Bradl in 19th (+1.2s), after 54 laps.
Marc Marquez's Spanish Grand Prix replacement, Iker Lecuona, did not take part in the test.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
