Team Profile: Peugeot Motocycles Saxoprint Moto3
The Team
Peugeot Motocycles Saxoprint confirmed at the end of the 2016 season that Scottish rider John McPhee was leaving the team for the following season. So they drafted Czech rider Jakub Kornfeil who has vast experience in Moto3 and is a consistent rider. They also said that they had been closely monitoring the progress of Finnish rider Patrik Pulkkinen and they felt that he was ready to join the Moto3 ranks. The Peugeot team is confident that the young Finn will be able to progress with the help of Kornfeil who is now the most experienced rider on the grid.
The Riders
Rider Name: Patrik Pulkkinen
Age: 15
Nationality: Finnish
Bike Number: 4
Patrik Pulkkinen will be itching to emulate the likes of his idol Jarno Saarinen and be just as successful as his compatriot. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons riding in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Pulkkinen has signed a two-year contract with an option for a third season. At the Valencia test, he said that the bike impressed him because it was smooth and easy to ride and his wet weather pace surprised him since he wasn’t normally a wet weather racer.
Rider Name: Jakub Kornfeil
Age: 23
Nationality: Czech
Bike Number: 84
Kornfeil liked the feel of the bike but admits that it still needed a little tinkering to suit him. He feels comfortable on wet and dry surfaces and was constantly improving his times in the Valencia test. Kornfeil’s quickest time was a 1:40.985, which he was pleased with. The chassis felt great and they had a lot of grip, which was surprising since Valencia normally didn’t offer much grip. The first two days at the test had already proved that Kornfeil was able to form a good relationship with the Saxoprint team.
Team Speak
Team Principal Florian Prüstel was delighted by the team’s progress despite the adverse weather conditions. The riders were happy with the bike and were able to perform well both in the dry and in the wet. The team will enter the winter break, pleased with the number of improvements they’ve made and they hope that they will perform well in the 2017 season.
