Buildbase Honda gear up for 2017
By Team TMX on 25th Dec 16
Buildbase Hondas pre-season programme will see Graeme Irwin and Martin Barr head out to Italy in the New Year where theyll test and take in a couple of rounds of the Italian championship.
The pair will be based on Sardinia where they can take advantage of the island's wide selection of tracks. The riders prepared for 2016 the same way and started the season looking super-sharp.
"We've got a plan and I'm happy with how it's coming together,” said team boss Dave Thorpe. "We head off to Sardinia on January 21 and we'll begin testing down there the week before the first round of the Italian championship at Riola.
"We're going to do the first and the third rounds as we did last year so we'll race on Sardinia before the championship moves to the bottom of Italy for round two. We'll stay on Sardinia and keep riding and testing for two weeks and then they'll go back across to Milan and do the final round at Ottobiano. It gives our riders the opportunity to go in with the grand prix boys to find a bit of pace early on.
"Sardinia has great tracks and good weather at that time of year. What I like about it is the mixture of heavy sand and hard-packed tracks. It's not like going to Spain which is predominantly hard-pack – it's a small island with around 15 very good training tracks to choose from.”
Irwin has recovered well from his off-season shoulder operation and will be back on a bike within the next few days.
"Graeme can begin to ride just after Christmas. His physical preparation has gone well and he's working really hard in the gym with his upper body strength and we all know that his cardio capabilities are legendary.
"Martin has a 2016 Honda which he's continuing to train on in Ireland. Everything as far as Graeme and Martin are concerned is going the right way.”
For next year Thorpe is slightly restructuring his team. William Irvine will spanner for Barr and Rob Boseley will look after Irwin's bikes as Ryan Thorpe takes on new responsibilities.
"Ryan's not directly with one rider,” added DT. "He's doing all the engine work and doing a certain amount of team management because one of us has got to be at arenacross and one of us has got to be in Sardinia.
"We've also got Ian Bailey on board for arenacross. He'll be working with Adam Chatfield.”
