Binder, Oliveira try 2022 KTM prototype at Catalunya test

KTM gave its factory MotoGP riders a glimpse of the future by providing a 2022 prototype for Monday's Catalunya test.

As well as making refinements to the current RC16 - which has taken a major step forward since receiving a new chassis at Mugello, winning Sunday's Barcelona race with Miguel Oliveira - KTM had a special test bike available for both Oliveira and team-mate Brad Binder.

"We looked further at the [current] race bike chassis and also had one extra machine that was more of a prototype for the future," said KTM team manager Mike Leitner. "We are more than happy with the outcome of what we could do here.”

Both riders were tight-lipped about the prototype machine, which has been undergoing development by Dani Pedrosa, but confirmed it's unlikely to be seen until 2022.

"I think that's more focussing on next year to be honest," said Binder, when asked if the test bike could be used this year. "It was just really to have our first impression of it and see exactly what we think so far. I think it's still far from where it's going to be, but it gives us a good idea of what's been going on."

"Yeah, there were a couple of prototypes, also parts and we just sorted tested them to get a comparison," added Oliveira. "Most of the things have already been tested by the test team and Dani so we were just confirming or getting also our opinion on it and getting the job of just reporting the feedback on the track for the guys.

"I mean, it's good work. I think we are also at a very particular track where the grip level is not so high so when it comes to such basic parts like a frame or a swingarm or stuff like that, so it's quite to hard to see the differences.

"But for sure we had a busy day. KTM brought a lot of things and it's nice to feel that in every part there is something positive to take from and learn to build a future for, this season and 2022."

Oliveira finished the day as the top KTM rider in ninth place, 0.6s from Yamaha's Maverick Vinales. "I think we got a really good compromise of a bike this weekend so it was hard to really step it up," he said.

Binder had more areas of potential improvement after an eighth in the grand prix. The South African left the test twelfth on the timesheets and 0.741s from Vinales.

"Today was quite a cool day. I really enjoyed riding the bike after yesterday, we managed to get quite a few laps in," he said.

"We really just focussed on trying a couple of small different things. Little bits, just to try and stabilise the bike on corner entry.

"We had some prototype parts to try and as always some negatives and some positives, so we need to really look through everything to try and figure out what's the next step."

"I think we still found some areas both in the short term and the long term where we can be better," said KTM's technical coordinator Sebastian Risse.

"We also collected a lot of data in pretty much all areas and some of this we might use in the next round, it largely depends on the tracks coming up and the conditions.

"I think we will see some things popping up and a lot of information will be going back to the factory as we have to start looking at next year’s bike.”

Oliveira and KTM's first victory of the season has moved the Portuguese to seventh in the world championship, albeit still 61 points from Fabio Quartararo.