You are here

MotoGP, Test: Ducati dominates at the Red Bull Ring, Dovizioso 1st

THE TIMES. Four D16 machines ahead of the rest, 8 in the top 10. Stoner is 4th, Viñales 5th and Valentino Rossi 9th

Test: Ducati dominates at the Red Bull Ring, Dovizioso 1st

Share


A few days ago, both Dovizioso and Petrucci agreed: “on paper, the Red Bull Ring should be favourable for Ducati”. The facts have proved them right, because at the end of the first day of testing, there are 4 Desmosedici bikes ahead of the rest, which makes 8 in the top ten. It doesn’t matter whether 14, 15 or 16 follow the writing “GP”, in Austria, the reds absolutely fly.

It was Andrea Dovizioso who made the difference, the only rider who managed to lap below 1’24” – to be precise, 1’23”764. That is a time that sets a gap of almost 6 tenths (0”583) ahead of his nearest rival, who is also his teammate: Andrea Iannone.

Casey Stoner

In third place, at 0”697, is the GP15 ridden by Scott Redding, who took the satisfaction of coming in ahead of Casey Stoner. The Australian is certainly not looking bad as he measures up with his active rivals. A little titbit: the Ducati Casey is using does not have winglets, in anticipation of the rule change next year when they will be prohibited.

In fifth place we find Maverick Viñales, the only rider able to push his way into the midst of the red tide and to have limited his gap to below a second (0”885) without riding a Ducati. The Suzuki rider finished ahead of Hector Barbera and Eugene Laverty on the GP14, whereas the 8th best time belonged to Danilo Petrucci, with a heavy gap of 1”228.

Valentino Rossi was riding the best Yamaha in 9th place at a distance of 1”290, with Lorenzo doing worse in 11th (between the two teammates was Hernandez) with a gap of 1”411.

Behind Jorge, at 48 thousandths, is Aleix Espargarò with the second Suzuki, followed by the two Hondas ridden by Miller and Crutchlow (Marquez and Pedrosa were not present at the tests).

Alvaro Bautista

Worth a mention is Aprilia’s presence on the track too, with riders Bautista and Bradl as well as tester, di Meglio. However, there are no transponders mounted on the RS-GP machines and therefore they do not appear on the time sheets. Alvaro is also testing a new top fairing, with two large wings.

It is the first time mingling with their future adversaries for KTM. Mika Kallio is 16th (behind Baz and ahead of Rabat) with a gap behind Dovizioso of 2”292, whereas Tom Luthi is in last place.

THE TIMES ON THE FIRST DAY

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
__

Related articles