Assen on a WorldSBK ‘doesn’t compare at all’ to MotoGP bike - Gerloff

Garrett Gerloff closed out day-one at Assen second fastest overall after finding the change from MotoGP machinery back to his R1 around Assen difficult in FP1.  

The comparison... Well, it was impossible to ‘compare’ according to Gerloff, who said muscle memory from riding the MotoGP bike was one of the biggest things that affected his transition back to a Superbike. 

Gerloff said: "Yeah it doesn’t compare at all. I think the hardest thing for me this morning especially in the first session, is that the first time I came here; the bike I learned the track on is not the R1, so all my muscle memory and everything, my markers were all from there (MotoGP).

"So when I would try and turn my brain off and just ride this morning, I was reverting back to my muscle memory from the last time I was here. 

"It definitely doesn’t work like that on the R1. So, kinda struggled a bit this morning, but then after being able to reset after the first session, everything was just working a lot better and yeah, the R1 is working really well. A lot more stable I have to say than last time."

While it may have taken Gerloff longer than he hoped to get up to speed on the R1, the 25 year-old looked brilliant in FP2 as he finished second fastest - had the best race pace along with Jonathan Rea. 

"I feel good! I feel like we have decent consistency; just keep making mistakes that cost me half a second and to a second a lap; like running off the track here and there which is one thing I have to clean up for tomorrow," said Gerloff. 

"But when we don’t run off the track [laughs] I feel pretty good and consistent which is awesome. The GRT team has been doing an awesome job with the setup and everything."  

On Thursday, the American signed a one year extension with Yamaha to remain with GRT in WorldSBK next season - rumoured to include a clause allowing him to switch to MotoGP for 2022 should he be offered a seat (Most likely at Petronas).