Ducati Press Release: Rossi Ends Two-Day Test At Misano, Hayden Fit For Misano

By Press Release | Wed, 29/08/2012 - 21:14

Ducati Corse issued the following press release after the final day of testing for Valentino Rossi at Misano:

Valentino Rossi completes Misano test, Nicky Hayden recovery on schedule

Valentino Rossi today finished a two-day test at Misano, completing an intense period of work along with the Ducati Team technicians.

The Italian turned 80 laps while working with the chassis updates that he had first tried during the post-race test at Mugello on July 15. Among the updates were a new frame and a new swingarm, which will be available in time for the next race, at Misano.

Meanwhile, Nicky Hayden checked in from the United States, reporting that his recovery is proceeding according to plan for an anticipated return at the San Marino Grand Prix.

“We carried out a series of tests with the chassis, and the results were interesting, though they still have to be checked against the other riders,” Valentino Rossi said at the conclusion of the long work day. “We also worked on the bike’s setup, with the goal of trying to limit the drop in performance that we usually suffer after some laps, as the tyres wear. We had some promising signs there as well, and we’ll check them again in a race context.”

“It was pretty tough to be home while my rivals were racing, and testing is also something that I hated missing, as we had some parts that we could possibly use this year,” Nicky Hayden reported from the U.S. “Everything else is good news though. Bones don’t heal in ten days, but the swelling is down in my hand, and the feeling is much better with both that and my head. Everything’s right on schedule, and I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike.”

“Over these two days with Valentino, we focused on chassis testing,” said Filippo Preziosi. “Based on the feedback he provided, we’ll bring a new frame and a new swingarm to the next race. In the meantime, the Corse department will continue working according to the development plan that was established following the June test at Aragon. Over the remainder of the season, the Test Team and the factory riders will have the opportunity to try further chassis evolutions, which are currently being produced.”

2012
MotoGP
Misano, Italy
Ducati
Valentino Rossi
Nicky Hayden
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Comments

Is it bad that I look forward to watching Hayden ride the Ducati again, more than Rossi? Been that way for some time now.

I used to hate on Hayden earlier,just around the time he was new and was challenging VR. As time has passed and I have matured [if ever so slightly] I tend to see Hay den as the quiet fellow who puts his head down, works with the lot given to him and is usually understated. Preziosi should thank his gods that at least Nicky has stuck around them in-spite of their f**kups.

"In the meantime, the Corse department will continue working according to the development plan that was established following the June test at Aragon."

Sounds to me like:We don´t give a sh#t anyways whatever VR is telling us-we do it our way whether wrong or not.

“Based on the feedback he provided, we’ll bring a new frame and a new swingarm to the next race. "

They did not say that it was the feedback provided during THIS particular test, therefore it could be something they had in the pipeline anyways, but this would be my negative interpretation only.

Anyways:I´m disappointed by Ducati and glad that VR will ride for Yamaha again next year.

High time Ducati realised incremental change is the way to go. 'New frame and swingarm based on what he fedback' says it all.
Rewind 2003 to 2004. In 2003 they entered with a bike that was capable. The fast forward and radical revisions introduced for 2004 left them smarting. Over exuberance.
The Misano testing like the Mugello testing also costs them. They should test against their main rivals at the same venue every chance they get.
This flawed thinking by testing at a track in advance of the event has never benefitted their development.
Gathering data to what end ? The only data worth a damn in competition is the data gleaned against your rivals governed by the same set of circumstances and conditions.

PIT BULL has half the story. Yes, Ducati started well in 2003, nine podium finishes, (three for Troy Bayliss and six for Loris Capirossi), including a win for Capirossi at Catalunya. But 2004 yielded just two podiums (one each for Bayliss and Capirossi). The low point (apart from 2011-2012) was definitely 2004. Ducati went backwards. Its 'improved' bike yielded race times generally slower than what they had achieved the previous year. So Pit Bull is correct in that assessment. BUT, at the same time as Ducati hit reverse in 2004, Yamaha and Honda hooked into top gear. This was the period when there was some serious development in MotoGP and Michelin was keeping up with the play on the tyre front. Everyone remembers the first race of 2004. It was the one Valentino won first time out on the Yamaha. A clear indication of the strides Yamaha had made with its new bike (the first with the cross-plane crankshaft) was that Rossi's winning time at Welkom was a staggering 20 seconds faster than Sete Gibernau's 2003 race winning time on a V5 Honda. Troy Bayliss, fourth in 2003, was 14th in 2004, and his race time was more than 23 seconds SLOWER than what he had achieved at the same circuit the previous year. There's a saying, "start as you mean to go on." Well, Yamaha (and Honda) did at the start of 2004, but Ducati spent the season in reverse gear, so there was a yawning chasm between the Italian brand and the two Japanese makes. Bigger even than last year and this... Now keep a close eye on what happens at Aragon. That will tell those who pay attention whether Ducati has made any improvement since 2010. The race record at Aragon is held by Ducati...

I concur. Great comment. Welkom 2004 was one of my highlights as a spectator.
I did enjoy collecting my bets placed on Valentino.
I'm almost tempted to say those were the days of GP 2 wheel racing and prototypes after the 2 stroke era.
On another note,the 800 era and generally a hated one, was the pinnacle of prototype racing.
This quasi 1000cc/CRT/Sattelite era is ....??? Who cares ? Three Championships at stake within each and every race.
But, we watch and hope for a brighter future.