After a fifth overall and showing some good speed for the first half of the races, Jorge Prado says that it was like riding a different bike at Ironman after the team tried some new settings on the bike before first practice – and they worked!
A little bit of hit and hope but this time it worked for the finally positive Spaniard as he told Lewis Phillips:
“We found some stuff before practice, before first practice today, and it actually changed the bike a lot. So, it was something totally different from what I was running, and it helped a lot to respond to the engine and stuff, and the feeling of the frame. So, yeah, it was, I don’t know, just racing with a completely different bike today. And we made some, you know, good time practice before, very close to pole compared to other times.“
“I was just bottoming everywhere, also because I was running, what, a couple of seconds faster than my last weekends? So, going at higher speed, you need a bit more of a stiffer bike, and now I was just bottoming everywhere. So, I was just, you know, couldn’t really push 100% into braking, or couldn’t really attack some sections of the track, but I’m happy.“
Of course the rumour is Prado could literally be riding a different bike in 2026, with KTM reportedly offerrong a bonus only contract for 2026 alongside Aaron Plessinger and rumoured new signing, Eli Tomac.
Vital’s Micheal Lindsay said on X: “Like Prado having the option to go to KTM on a bonus only deal if he can get out of his Kawasaki contract. According to Kawi sources, he hasn’t asked to get out yet but they’re aware that the KTM conversation has happened…”
But will the setting changes give Prado hope that he can finally find what he needs to show his true potential on the Kawasaki?
