Catalunya MotoGP Test: Chassis decision, but Iannone frustrated by 'big drop'

Andrea Iannone intends to switch to the latest Suzuki chassis at t﷽he fort✤hcoming Assen round, after putting the frame through its paces during Monday's Catalunya MotoGP test.

The🌳 Italian headed 🅷the timesheets for most of the day, only losing out on the best lap time to Honda's world champion Marc Marquez in the closing minutes, after Iannone had left the track.

"🐷Today we focused on choosing the chassis," Iannone confirmed. "In Mugello the new chassis arrived and Alex Rins chose it from the beginning.

Chassis decision, but Iannone frustrated by 'big drop'

Andrea Iannone intends to switch to the latest Suzuki chassis at the forthcoming Assen round, after putting the frame through its paces du𒁃ring Monday's Catalunya MotoGP test.

The Italian🉐 headed the timesheets for most of the day, only losing out on the best lap time to Honda's world champion Marc Mar♎quez in the closing minutes, after Iannone had left the track.

"Today we focused on choosing the chassꦆis," Iannone confiꦅrmed. "In Mugello the new chassis arrived and Alex Rins chose it from the beginning.

"But during the race weekend it's difficult because wꦰe focus for the race. So we compared again here."

The new chassis is distinguishable bඣy the use of some 'reinforced' carbon fibre on the upper spars (see pic: Old chassis left, new right).

"At 🧸the end my feel🐲ing is a little bit better [with the new chassis]. I choose the best chassis for me and in any case we will see. It's a small step forward but it's better than nothing," said Iannone.

"For me it's better on the exit of the corner. It reduces a litt🐭le bit the movement. I struggle a lot with the movement and with thi෴s chassis I have less movement."

But the cha🦂ssis decision and fast✅ lap time were not enough to brighten Iannone's mood.

The 28-year-old - switching to Aprilia next season, to make way for Joan Mir – was frustrated by the plummeting tyre perf🐼ormance from his GSX-RR.

After fighting for the lead on the opening lap ♐of Sunday's race, Iannone dropped to tenth place and 24-♚seconds from victory by the chequered flag.

"I talk always about the drop of the tyres. I talk also wﷺith the engineers of Suzuki. I talk about the electronics. We cannot maintain the tyres on a good level," he said.

"After three-four laps we have a big drop and the bike slides 🐎and spins a lot. I talk everyday about this. But at the end it's like this. Nꦆothing changed at the moment."

Is it frustrating?

"Yes, because I think I am a really strong ridꦅer. It's possible to fight with the first three riders at the moment, but it's not possible [for me] to do it alone. I need good s🍎upport from my bike."

The counter argument was that tyre endurance is always a major factor at Catalunya and Iannone 🌊should been more conservative in the early laps.

Team-mate Alex Rins, who retired from the race, was ei✅gh💧t fastest at the test.

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