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The Sepang Test Shakedown was an opportunity for Fermin Aldeguer to get back on Team Gresini's Ducati GP24 for the first time since the test in Barcelona last November. It was a challenging return to the bike for the young Spanish rider, who was called upon to regain confidence with the Desmosedici on a fast and testing circuit like the Malaysian one. "I can say I am happy, because we are working well: in each lap we are improving something on the bike, the set-up or in my riding style. The first day was very difficult, because this bike is very hard. Riding a MotoGP after the long winter break is crazy! But I think we are doing a great job and we can be happy," said Fermin, taking stock of his Shakedown.
Although the adjustment is not the easiest, the Gresini rider was able to steadily improve his times and come within about six tenths of the top of the leaderboard in the last of three days of testing reserved for rookies and test riders (HERE the day's times ).
"I didn't focus on lap time because I need to be two seconds faster to get to pole and the circuit record," he commented, "I've been trying to improve my riding style with each lap and I also need to try to be a little bit more aggressive with this bike. I just need some time, some laps and a better understanding of where I can make progress."
Stepping onto a completely different bike from the Boscoscuro he rode in Moto2, Fermin was unable to take advantage of much of what he learned in the intermediate MotoGP class.
"There are some things you use here as well, but it's almost all new and to learn: the tires are different and also the brakes, which are carbon. Everything is very different and it's hard to make comparisons. You have to work and accumulate laps to understand how this bike goes - said the Spanish rider talking about his adaptation to the Ducati - With the lowerer I had no problem. Yesterday and the first day was a little more difficult, but today I have all the automatisms. It's not difficult."
The 19-year-old then focused on the biggest difficulties encountered in the transition from Moto2 to the premier class.
"What was the most difficult part?I would say finding the braking point, because now I come into corners really fast and it's crazy where you can brake. I have to understand it a little bit better, but we are working on this point," he said, "You have to use the rear brake a lot and it is difficult to do it in the right-hand corners. I have been focusing a lot on this point and that is why I am maybe doing fewer laps and a little slower. With the brakes you can't be very aggressive right away, because the more they warm up, the better they get. Understanding that and knowing when the brake is ready to do a time attack and managing it mid-braking is the hardest part. The biggest job I did here in Malaysia was using the thumb brake and I wore out my finger!"
Tires are also a completely different aspect, and it is not easy for Aldeguer to point out the similarities and differences between the Michelin and the Dunlop and Pirelli tires he used in Moto2.
"I've only used Michelin in MotoGP, so it's hard to make a comparison. This is another world and I have to understand the tires better as well, but we are very happy because I use the rear well, I just have to understand a little more how to use the front under braking," explained the rookie, who is also trying to adapt to a different type of work inside the box: "that is maybe one of the most difficult aspects, because there are so many electronics and there are many people doing different work. The most difficult thing is to understand the sensations you have on the bike and make comments, but little by little I am getting a good understanding of what I feel on the bike and the way to explain it to my chief technician, the electronics and the data analysts, and that is a good thing."
After some minor problems he had at Barcelona, Aldeguer is also trying to fine-tune his position on the bike.
"Yes, I am also working on my riding position, because in MotoGP it is very important to make the bike turn. I need to turn and work on the set-up, to be more at my ease on the bike. I need to adapt my style to the Ducati," he noted, "Does my body language on the bike look aggressive? I'm trying to ride with this style to make the Ducati go fast."
What advice did he receive from Luca Boscoscuro?
"He told me that I have to stay calm and not want too much," the youngster replied, "He told me that I have the talent to get good results, that I have to listen to Gigi Dall'Igna and all the Ducati men who talk to me and do what they tell me."
Getting on the bike that won the title last year with Jorge Martin is a big responsibility for Fermin, who doesn't want to start comparing his times with those achieved in the Malaysian GP by the Madrid native and his rival Francesco Bagnaia.
"I started by seeing 2'02" and then I gradually got closer to 1'57". Little by little we are reaching the times that need to be done - he said with satisfaction - It is true that with this bike last year they went very strong, but there were other conditions: the track was cleaner and had more rubber. We didn't work on the time attack 100 percent, because I don't think this is the time to do it: this is the time to understand the bike well and to work in the right way. Maybe on the second day of official testing we will see if I can be closer to that time."
