KTM appeared to be pushing the boundaries, with the Austrian MotoGP newcomers’ first aerodynamic fairing that made its debut in the second free practice session at CotA.

Add-on wings were banned this year, and the established factories have shown various solutions with vaned ducting through the sides or top section of the fairing.

KTM had been focused on other aspects of their all-new V4 MotoGP racer; but at race three their own solution appeared. This had steeply angled not-wings either side of the air intake. Only the fact that they had a relatively thick base and that they are moulded into the fairing distinguished them from add-on wings.

According to Pol Espargaro’s crew chief Paul Trevathan, the aim was both to reduce wheelies under acceleration “and to keep a load on the front”. So far, he said, “there are no negatives”.

Ducati have yet to homologate a ducted fairing, and the others kept theirs in reserve in Argentina and Texas – with the exception of Suzuki, with both riders Iannone and Rins exercising their downforce bodywork on the first day of practice.

By Michael Scott

Smith, Grand Prix Of The Americas, 2017