Domi Aegerter: Good first MotoE test
THIRD-FASTEST IN SPAIN Dominique Aegerter got his first taste of this year's workhorse, a MotoE bike, during testing in Jerez. The track closed the next day. Dominique Aegerter will contest the recently created MotoE™ World Cup for the German Dynavolt Intact GP team this year. This racing series with electric racing bikes comprises five events. From Tuesday to Thursday, [...]
Dominique Aegerter will contest the recently created MotoE™ World Cup for the German Dynavolt Intact GP team this year. This racing series with electric racing bikes comprises five events.
From Tuesday to Thursday, the 29-year-old from Rohrbach and his technical crew began their preparations on the race track. The following day, the circuit in Andalusia had to close for the next 15 days at the behest of the authorities due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Major changeover
In good conditions with warm weather, Aegerter was able to get used to the electric racing machine. At first, however, it took some adjustment to understand the maximum charging power of the battery, which is only sufficient for eight or nine laps on the 4.5-kilometer Circuito de Jerez.
The schedule included three sessions per day. And how does a MotoE bike ride?
Dominique Aegerter: "The biggest difference is the higher weight of the bike, and you can feel the power in every area. When riding, however, I would have expected a higher engine output. You can give full throttle early on when exiting corners and then the acceleration is very smooth. When braking, however, the 260 kilos are a huge chunk to stop, while the high weight is hardly noticeable in the corners themselves."
Good feeling
As soon as the Rohrbacher was familiar with these circumstances, he was able to improve continuously. His crew had also drawn up a very good test plan. In terms of set-up, there are not so many options with this bike.
Dominique Aegerter: "The optimum riding position was quickly worked out, but then we were able to improve a few things on the chassis and with the engine brake. In any case, I felt very comfortable by the end. That was also clear to see from our lap times. As a rookie, however, the most important thing for me was that we finished this test with a very good feeling for the overall package."
When will it continue?
Behind the Italian Matteo Ferrari and the Brazilian Eric Granado, the Bernese set the third-fastest time, just 0.173 off the best time. However, it is uncertain when he will be able to confirm this again at a test or the first race due to the many cancellations caused by Covid-19.
Dominique Aegerter: "Hopefully we can test again on a track in April to gain more laps and experience before the first race starts at some point. Otherwise, we can be very satisfied with the current state of things. I think I've managed to adapt quickly."
