VOL. 53 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 23, 2016 P59
faster, less than three quarters
of a second off the top.
More importantly than position
with the satellite riders, both he
and Andrea Dovizioso worked
with the new evolutionary GP16
exclusively. Dovizioso was cau-
tiously positive – "a little disap-
pointed with the position, but
happy we are making progress".
Ducati new boy Scott Red-
ding, on the second Octo
Pramac bike, continued to adapt
well after two declining years on
a Honda, slotting in to 12th, mere
thousandths slower than Dovi.
Bradley Smith was next, tak-
ing his typically step-by-step
which happened on an out lap.
Barbera's teammate Loris Baz
had the benefit of a modified seat
to accommodate his lanky frame
better, and promptly placed
seventh, ahead of a downbeat
Dani Pedrosa; who was typically
matter-of-fact. "The important
thing is we've improved with the
electronics," he said (Honda is
using the Magneti Marelli soft-
ware for the first time).
With Pol Espargaro ninth on
the Monster Yamaha – the 2015
version favored by Rossi, the
factory Dukes placed tenth and
11th, separated by mere hun-
dredths, and Andrea Iannone the
delighted. "The winter test has
been great so far, but I am still
realistic. My war will be to be be-
tween fifth and tenth place every
race. More than this will be a gift
for us."
His joy was in sharp contrast
to Octo Pramac Ducati's Danilo
Petrucci, star of the first round
of tests. Petrucci led the sheets
after the rain-troubled first day,
but crashed heavily towards the
end of the final day at the fast
Hayshed corner, breaking three
bones in his right hand. He will
miss the next tests for sure, and
possibly the first race also. His
team was baffled by the crash,
A slow speed
tumble for
Lorenzo on the
final day put an
early end to
the test.
THERE
WERE
NO FURTHER
MICHELIN
DISASTERS,
AFTER THE
EXPLODING
REAR TIRE OF
LORIS BAZ AT
SEPANG.
