Redding ‘still getting comfortable’ on ’18 Aprilia

Scott Redding was content to make solid progress over three days of MotoGP testing at Sepang, and revealed he is still some way from feeling comfortable aboard the 2018 Aprilia RS-GP.

The Englishman posted the 23^rd fastest time of the test on Tuesday, but was unconcerned by positions. Instead Redding focused on his trimming 1.1s off his personal best time from day one to three, all while adapting to the ’18 machine.

It took time to understand Aprilia’s new, lighter RS-GP, he said, with chattering and rear grip issues appearing at different points. Yet, by Tuesday evening Redding was “quite happy - if we can start in the next test with this feeling, it’s easier to go, instead of coming from so far,” he said.

“I’m quite happy now. The first two days were not too bad. I always say this test is a shakedown plus we have a new bike. I did the testing at the end of the year, got a bit of a feeling. We came here, got a bit of a feeling on the new bike again.

“When we change suspension from one bike to the next, for Aleix [Espargaro – Aprilia team-mate] I don’t think it was a big difference, but for me it was impossible to ride. So then it started: this, this and this. We tried many things.

“I struggled a lot with chatter yesterday. Then we fixed it but today it came back again. Then we fixed it and we found something quite positive that we can continue to use. We were working on me being comfortable on the bike, the riding position and a few things and experimenting.

“We have to find our way and that’s basically what we did. We struggled more with rear grip on the new bike than the old bike. But honestly at the end of the day we made a big step with settings for grip on the rear and it helped me find the grip. In that aspect I was quite happy.

“In the middle of the day I was like, ‘F**king hell.’ But then we thought to try a couple of big things. OK, one worked, that didn’t. We put a couple of them together. I’m quite happy because every day I got quite a bit faster by a reasonable amount of time.”

Redding admitted he felt slightly overwhelmed mid-way through Tuesday, but there was clear progress in the afternoon. The 25-year old feels he still needs a little more time than team-mate Espargaro to understand set-up direction and assess certain components.

The fact Redding had not gone chasing a lap time was also of some comfort. The former Moto2 runner up knows he could have produced a lap time several tenths quicker had certain factors played out differently.

“We got closer to the front, even though they were faster. We’re still far but I’m still not comfortable. If I was in a tow, I’d take three tenths. If three or four corners that I’m struggling with were right, another three tenths. I’m still new to the bike. I’m fresh.

“For Aleix and his side they know what works on the bike and what works for him. They know what angle he doesn’t like. For me, we’ve still got to find what’s right. When we have to go in an opposite direction to what they’ve done, it’s strange. But I’m willing to try it and I need to.

“I’ve always said every rider is different, and me in particular. I’m bigger and heavier, with a bit of a different style. I need to experiment. So that’s mainly what I’ve been doing. At the end of the test I was quite happy with the steps that we made. I’m happy with the new bike.”