LCR Honda MotoGP rookie Somkiat Chantra says he “virtually had a coronary heart assault” earlier than his first take a look at on the bike on Tuesday at Barcelona.
The double Moto2 race winner was a shock signing throughout the 2024 rider market actions, with Honda electing to place him in Takaaki Nakagami’s place at LCR.
Chantra made his debut on the bike on Tuesday on the post-season Barcelona take a look at, by which he accomplished 61 laps and was second-to-last on the timesheets.
Talking after his first day on the Honda, Chantra revealed how nervous he was forward of his opening run.
“For positive, earlier than I am going on the bike I used to be getting a lot, like virtually a coronary heart assault earlier than I needed to go on the bike,” he mentioned.
“Once I bought on the bike I mentioned ‘Okay, now we attempt to be taught the bike, what the bike is doing’.”
Chantra’s main focus in his first take a look at was to be taught the Michelin tyres and the carbon brakes, having used Pirellis and metal brakes in Moto2 in 2024.
“For me, right now was the primary day on the MotoGP bike and I used to be attempting to grasp the carbon brakes and be taught the tyres as a result of it’s totally different in comparison with MotoGP,” he added.
“Additionally, my group all the time says attempt to watch out on the left facet as a result of the tyre while you go on the straight is getting chilly fairly straightforward.
“[I was] attempting to discover ways to handle the tyre.”
The Thai rider says it was a shock the primary time he wound up the throttle on the RC213V and braked on the finish of the straight, which gave him an actual sense of the pace of a MotoGP bike.
“Once I went on the exit lap, I attempted to be somewhat bit calm on the brake and on the fuel,” he mentioned.
“Once I arrived into the final nook, I attempted to go somewhat bit full. When [I was tucked] within the display, it was okay.
“However when [I went] on brakes and [lifted my] head up it was so quick. Lap by lap it bought higher.”
Chantra is one in every of three rookies stepping as much as MotoGP in 2024, alongside Moto2 world champion Ai Ogura at Trackhouse and Fermin Aldeguer at Gresini.
