After a morning of damp weather, the MotoGP riders were finally able to get out on track shortly before midday and lap the Phillip Island circuit in dry conditions and on slick tyres.

The riders and technicians of the Ducati Team were able to carry on with the intense work programme scheduled for the new Desmosedici GP, and at the end of the day Andrea Dovizioso was the rider who had been out on track the most (88 laps), while his team-mate Andrea Iannone completed 76 laps.

Iannone ended up seventh quickest in the timesheets with a lap of 1’29.857 and Dovizioso was twelfth in 1’30.142.

Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 1’29.857 (7th)

“All in all, today was a positive day because we were able to do a lot of laps, which was essential for us to get a better idea of the way the new Desmosedici GP behaves. As a result I am satisfied with the work we did and in the end we also tested some interesting solutions: with the data we gathered we’ll decide which direction to go in on the final day of the test, hoping that tomorrow the weather will allow us to work all day.”

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 1’30.142 (12th)

“Luckily today we had good weather conditions that allowed us to work, and my feeling is positive. I am happy because in the first tests of the year in Malaysia we didn’t put in many laps and also yesterday we were disturbed by the bad weather. Today we did a lot of laps and now I feel comfortable with the Michelin tyres, which is our main objective at this moment. I am able to be constantly fast, but I didn’t go for a really quick one-lap time and that’s why I’m a bit down in the standings. It was in any case a positive day in which we achieved the right feeling and did some tests to better set up the bike and some components. Now we can start on detail work, tomorrow’s weather permitting.”

Andrea Dovizioso