HRC has been one of the formations that has changed the most in WSBK for the new year. They have renewed their team of drivers and after several seasons with Vierge and Lecuona, they have given way to a new duo that has a certain resemblance to them despite the differences. And HRC entrusted Dixon and Chantra with their CBR1000RR-R.
The similarity with Lecuona and Vierge is in the fact that Chantra, like Iker at the time, came directly from MotoGP, and Dixon, like Vierge, did the same from Moto2. A combination that did not go badly and in which the two Spaniards have been struggling to increase the competitiveness of a motorcycle that is far from the all-powerful Ducati.
Furthermore, to help the development of the motorcycle, HRC has had Jonathan Rea, who joined the project to contribute his vision. Therefore, on the table and always on paper, the project looked good despite the two drivers’ inexperience in the category.
Both HRC drivers hope to be back in Portimao
But the setback that HRC has suffered at the start of the season was not foreseen, since both of its drivers have been injured before starting. And Somkiat Chantra suffered a serious injury in a private test and with a production motorcycle, for which he had to undergo surgery on both arms. Although the recovery is going according to plan, the deadlines caused him to miss the last preseason tests first, and then the Australian round.
That setback was solved by HRC by relying on Tetsuta Nagashima, also a test driver for the brand. But already at Phillip Island and during the official tests, Dixon suffered a fall that caused various fractures in his left hand and wrist. As a result, Jake also missed the first round, and had to undergo surgery in Melbourne.
As with Chantra, the operation has gone as planned, but now comes the recovery process. Even so, both hope to be able to compete at the end of March in the second event of the season, which will take place in Portimao. There is no doubt that both will do their best to arrive on time, but even so, the truth is that the approach they had to face the season has been complicated for both of them.
