The shift of the body weight during driving and the related change of the driving style of Max was the most important change in the three-day Moto2 test in the Spanish Jerez de la Frontera. Although Max was slowed down just on the third day, when there were the best conditions, by a fall in connection with a Moto3 rider, but he remained unharmed.
Despite the low temperatures and the related difficult conditions on the track in Valencia, the first official test of the season 2012 has been positive for Max and his new team. Max was able to improve every day and is very satisfied with this test. Apart from the much too low temperatures, there were only two falls during the three days.
During a private test at Cartagena in Spain from 5th to 6th February, Max was able to ride on his new-Kalex Moto2 bike for the upcoming season for the first time. In this test, it was not about lap times but just about to get a first feeling for the bike and get to know his new team. Max was very satisfied at the end of the two test days.
Max and the entire Max76 Team wishes everyone a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! After a mixed season with many ups and downs Max is now looking to the future optimistically and looks forward to working with the Kiefer-Racing-Team.
Max will join the Kiefer-Racing world champion team for the next season and start again in the Moto2 Championship. After some very positive talks the one-year contract was signed last Thursday. This offers the opportunity for Max to show his skills under professional conditions.
Under difficult conditions Max regained his former strength, which was lost during the second half of the season, at the season finale in Valencia. After he dropped back from position 24 to 28 when starting, he was able to achieve his fifth top-ten result of this year after a terrific chase.
For this article, it is very difficult to find the right words. This Sunday afternoon in the paddock at Sepang we received the incredible news of the death of Marco Simoncelli. Marco crashed in the race and died because of his injuries. Max and his team would like to express their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Marco.
Similar to Australia Max started well in his Malaysian debut race and was able to keep the pace of the riders in front of him. In the second lap when braking into the first corner there was a collision between Max and his team-mate Anthony West. Thus both crashed and could not take up their race again.
In qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix Max could further improve and will start from 15th position on the grid in the Moto2 race on Sunday. On the 5.5 mile Sepang track, which is completely new for Max, he was only missing the right timing and the necessary bit of luck to use the slipstream of faster riders on the long straights. But there is potential for a successful race.
Max had big plans for the Australian Grand Prix. But the hope to get into the leading group and to impress with a top result on the beautiful and fast island track was soon disappointed. Max came back as fifteenth after the first lap and was then victim of the wild chase of the Spaniard Marc Marquez in the fast right-hander after the start.
© max76 und max76-Logos sind eingetragene Markenzeichen von Max Neukirchner Racing
