The Avintia Racing riders have put the finishing on the 2016 MotoGP World Championship today at Valencia. Hector Barbera has been fighting the whole race to finish tenth, and he was really close to getting this place after an intense battle with Alvaro Bautista during the last few laps of the race. He was finally eleventh and secured the Top 10 in the championship standings. With this, he reached the target he had set before starting the season in Qatar.
Loris Baz struggled again with the tyres. He suffered some grip issues on the front in the first laps, and then problems started with the rear tyre as well. But the brave French rider finished the race and also a championship that has been tough for him due to injuries and a lack of feeling with the bike.
The Avintia Racing riders will begin the preparations for 2017 on Tuesday. Hector Barbera will enjoy two days of testing to continue to adapt to the Ducati Desmosedici GP 2016 he recently raced at Japan and Australia. Loris Baz will switch to the GP15, a much more competitive bike with which he expects to find the right feeling ahead of the next season.
HÉCTOR BARBERÁ #8 P11
“We always said that our target was to finish the championship between fifth and tenth, but being realistic, this was almost impossible. If we look how many factory bikes are on the grid, we should be 14º or 15º with our bike. We finished with 102 points, and this after missing two good opportunities when I was replacing Iannone in the factory Ducati team. Without that we could be ninth overall. But anyway we did a great job this year, and some riders like Suzuki’s Aleix Espargaro or Bradley Smith are behind us. We had a third division bike, but the team was playing in the premier league. I always did my best, I got two fifth places, one fourth place, sixth… really good results. The word team was very important this year, I learned a lot and I also matured as a rider. On Tuesday we will start a new year, an even better year. I want to thank everybody that believed in me and all those who made this possible.”
LORIS BAZ #76 P18
“It was a really difficult race. In the first half I struggled with the front end, and then towards the end, it was the lack of grip on the rear what made things difficult for me. I also finished the race exhausted. Positive is that what we found yesterday seems to work. Anyway, we need to work so I can ride the bike without fighting in every lap. I’m looking forward to test on Tuesday and to start the new season. But I’m also ready to get surgery next month and be completely fit and ready for next season. My body is tired after this season and I need to start the next one in full strength. I learned one thing this year, and it is that being fast in the winter doesn’t count, the races are the important thing. I need to build my confidence and improve step by step before the championship starts in March at Qatar.”
