Testing report

Ducati Team concludes Valencia IRTA post-race test

Ducati Team finally prepares to head home and begin preparing for the 2014 season.

After six days of track action at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (three for the MotoGP season finale, three at the post-race test), the Ducati Team finally prepares to head home and begin preparing for the 2014 season.

The team that leaves Spain has a different makeup than that which arrived at Valencia last week, as Cal Crutchlow joined Andrea Dovizioso as a team rider on Monday, and Luigi Dall’Igna took over as General Manager of Ducati Corse. Each had the opportunity over this IRTA-organized test to begin settling into his new role prior to the off-season.

Dovizioso and Crutchlow both left the garage at 11:00 a.m., and while the Italian stopped at approximately 1:30, his teammate continued until the track closed at 5:00 p.m. Meanwhile, Ducati Test Team rider Michele Pirro focused on testing chassis updates with the laboratory bike.

Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati Team

Photo by: Ducati Corse

With MotoGP’s two-month testing ban going into effect on 1 December, work will now fall to the engineers and technicians in Bologna to analyze the data that has been gathered over the course of the last three days. Dovizioso and Crutchlow will next be on track at the first pre-season test of 2014 at Sepang, 4-6 February.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) 9th, 1:31.716 (36 laps)
“We had a few small things to try, like a throttle, a clutch, and a rear brake, but really nothing new, as we already tested the frame yesterday. The conditions today were really, really good, so we were able to make a good lap time, but the other riders also did really fast laps. This test served more to familiarize Gigi and to provide feedback to him to apply during his development work for next year. We can’t really know yet how the bike will be in Malaysia, so it’s too early to speak about that. For sure, I’m more confident for next year.”

Cal Crutchlow (Ducati Team) 10th, 1:31.875 (54 laps)
“Today was a day about getting to know the team better and riding the Desmosedici some more. I can’t really say we found any particular setting that was a big advantage or a big disadvantage. I continue to give clear feedback and really reiterate what the other guys were saying, which is a key point that’s good; I’ve just come off another manufacturer’s motorcycle, so it’s good for Ducati that my feedback matches theirs. We didn’t need to push for a lap time. I was a little more cautious today than the other days, but overall, I think we gave Gigi and the Ducati guys something to work on over the winter. Now I look forward to the Sepang test.”

Luigi Dall’Igna (Ducati Corse General Manager)
“For me, these days here at Valencia were my first in Ducati, and I had the opportunity to get to know all the people, try to understand the problems with the bike and analyze all the available means that seem to be different from what I was used to before. My presence was important primarily for understanding these aspects. Now an intense period of work awaits us in view of the Sepang test in early February.”