Edwards 1st FTR - Kawasaki at Assen GP

The Dutch GP comes to an end at the TT Assen circuit for the NGM Mobile Forward Racing team. With American rider Colin Edwards finishing Saturdays race as the first FTR Kawasaki bike in 17th place.

After a good beginning of the race, the traffic in turn one and a little mistake in turn five forced Edwards to slow down during the first lap, causing him to lose positions. Edwards’s race pace was very consistent and allowed him to overtake and regain the positions lost during the initial lap.

Colin Edwards:

“I felt like I had a good start and then when I got into turn one, I got kind of pinched off. Had to slow up on the inside, kind of almost run over the curb and a couple of them got by me. We came into turn five and got bumped around and pushed out wide and got on the white line and another couple of guys went by me, next thing you know I was in last place, or at least I felt like I was in the last place. Then I put my head down and passed a bunch of people, probably the most people I have passed in a long time. I could see my lap times were good, the guys in front of me where not leaving me so I tried to chase them as hard as I could but honestly that was hard work. This bike seems to be really heavy left to right, through chicanes in this high speed. Thanks to the team, it was a tough weekend.”

Sergio Verdena, Technical Director:

“We are not happy with today’s results because Colin had a good race pace but unfortunately during the first lap, after he had a very good start, in turn five everybody tried to enter the corner and pushed him out making him be in last position. Through out the race he regained positions and he had a good pace. His lap times were similar to the ones Pirro, Iannone, Abraham and Petrucci were doing but the gap that got created from the first three laps was impossible to close. Claudio had an even better start but he went straight at the beginning and lost some positions. Towards the end of the race and once the fuel tank was empting; he started to have a better pace. We were the first two FTR – Kawasaki’s and it is very positive but not good enough to be in the points today at Assen. The next race will be at Sachsenring, where last year we had a good result. It is a track that will probably be better suited for our bike and at where we will try to repeat our Barcelona results.”