Little Evidence that Lab Bike will Speed Ducati Up

Despite a management shakeup and Audi's investment, the first test by Ducati factory racers Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden of the laboratory Ducati GP13 campaigned by Michele Pirro showed little sign of an imminent break through.

Just four days after completing its home Grand Prix at the Mugello circuit, the Ducati Team carried out a two-day test at the same track with riders Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden. Ducati Test Team rider Michele Pirro also took part in the test, logging a full three days at the Tuscan circuit.

Although afternoon rain showers ended each day prematurely, conditions were perfect in the mornings, enabling the team to complete much of the scheduled work program. Dovizioso and Hayden continued their tests with the 'laboratory' version of the Desmosedici GP13, increasing their familiarity with the bike and gathering data. Meanwhile, Pirro carried out work on the same bike, which he will ride in the Catalan Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya next week.

Andrea Dovizioso - Ducati Team (70 laps)

‟We did some good testing, especially today: setup, new parts, and riding with the new frame to try and get the most out of it, and we were consistently fast. We rode all day at 1:48 in every exit, which is very important. When I wanted to push, I did a 48.2, which is a good time. I could've gone faster, but I'm pleased with my speed and consistency. We improved a bit with the various changes to the weight distribution and my riding position. The improvements aren't huge, and this frame won't make enough difference to reduce the gap, but for me it's still a small improvement. We'll see if we can have it ready in time for the weekend in Barcelona, or if we'll just use it in the post-race test.”

Nicky Hayden - Ducati Team (103 laps)

‟If we're completely honest, we didn't achieve the progress that we'd hoped for, which is unfortunate. This laboratory bike has some positives, but at the moment, the lap time is very similar to our current bike. Hopefully these days will help the engineers to learn something. Thanks to my guys for coming here and working hard, because it's not easy to go back to the track and test after a long GP weekend.”

Michele Pirro - Ducati Test Team (93 laps)

‟The test was affected by the weather, as it rained in the afternoon on all three days. Compared to the other riders, I had to focus on some aspects of the frame and the engine in order to bring the development forward. We certainly found some positives, and we hope that they'll prove useful in the coming races, where I'll ride the bike that I raced this past Sunday. I'm pleased with the work we did, so now we'll wait for Barcelona to see if the things we tried will work a bit better.”

Source: Edited** **Ducati Corse Release

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