WSBK test under challenging conditions

At the end of January, the Yamaha-supported Team APRECO was given the opportunity to take part in the official WSBK test in Jerez de la Frontera. At the renowned Circuito de Jerez Ángel Nieto, the team completed two intensive test days alongside some of the world’s leading teams and riders. The conditions proved to be particularly demanding.

Strong performance in the wet on the Yamaha R9

Lennox Lehmann quickly found a good feeling on the Yamaha R9 and used the conditions consistently for his development. While some riders were cautious at the beginning, Lehmann was ready to go from the start and collected valuable laps on the wet track. Especially in the rain, he showed a consistent and confident performance, providing important feedback for the team.

Focus on setup work and further development

Throughout the test, Team APRECO worked systematically on the base setup of the Yamaha R9. Key elements of the test programme were successfully completed despite the constantly changing conditions. During the few drier sessions, the focus was also on testing a revised setup with an adjusted engine brake, which delivered positive initial impressions. Further testing, however, was repeatedly limited by returning rainfall.

“We spent a lot of time working in the rain and managed to find a solid setup. Especially in wet conditions, I felt very comfortable and the lap times were where they needed to be,” said Lennox Lehmann after the test. “Of course, we would have liked to try a few more things, but overall the test was very valuable for us.”

Looking ahead to Portimão

The data and findings gathered in Jerez provide an important foundation for the ongoing season preparation. Immediately after the test, Team APRECO will continue to the next WSBK test in Portimão, where the next steps towards the EURO MOTO season are planned, hopefully under more stable weather conditions.