The World SSP rider Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) recently arrived from his last pre-season test in Spain and is very satisfied with the preparations so far.

Soomer was able to take part in three tests last November and this January in Spain - in Cartagena in the fall and now in Jerez. In Jerez, the third round of the series will take place at the end of March.

In November Soomer made the first acquaintance with Yamaha, that is new to him, and also with the Kallio Racing team. „Blending with the team went relatively easily, as most people are familiar from the past,“ Soomer said.

„Getting used to the bike took a bit more time. There is a big difference with Honda and you have to ride it differently,“ he added. Interestingly, the biggest difference for him was not so much the engine, but rather the frame and the whole undercarriage. „Yamaha is much stiffer and its strong points are more the braking and exiting, while Honda's trump was the middle speed of the corner.“

After the first tests Soomer's laptime was significantly faster than the best times of Honda, but Soomer was not yet quite satisfied with the feeling.

In the latest test in Jerez in late January, Soomer's team was given the opportunity to test the new 2020 Yamaha and the new tires. Due to the rule changes, the  certain parts of the engine have changed, also engine control and electronics. The team had dealt with the changes to the engine and its control very successfully and we had no major problems with it. The engine seemed even easier to use than last year.

Starting this year, the Supersport class is also using slicks instead of profile tires. „During the test, two and a half days out of three were wet, so that testing the slicks did not really work, but as much chance as I had to try them, they seemed to suit me well,“ Soomer said. „The top level grip is maybe a little worse, but they are more stable and also wear more evenly.“  

„Generally I am very satisfied with the preparations for the season,“ concluded Soomer. „Compared to last year I have been 7 more days on the motorcycle before the Australian Round and very ready for the season. Still, I am not going to get too excited – we shall see in Australia, where we are compared to others, but at least we will be able to fly with a calm mind.“

The World SSP Championship series starts on February 28 on Phillip Island in Australia. The 13 Round series will close on October 11 in Argentina.