It took more than a hundred days for the engines to roar again on a circuit after the end of last season in Valencia. The bikes are back in action at the Sepang International Circuit for the first pre-season test of 2020.
It was an expected start for the Reale Avintia Racing Team, where Johann Zarco was able to make his first contact with the Ducati Desmosedici GP19, his new bike for this coming season and his new team. The French rider achieved a time of 2:00:464, finishing in 19th position after completing a total of 54 laps in a first day of adaptation and set-up.
For his part, Tito Rabat, who had the opportunity to ride the new bike in the past tests at Valencia and Jerez, continued with the learning and development period of his Ducati and managed to finish the first day of testing in Malaysia in 22nd position after setting a time of 2:00:750 accumulating a total of 54 laps.
It has been a very fruitful and effective first day, as the team has managed to accumulate and collect a lot of data that will be analysed for the evolution and development of the bike.
“This morning I was very happy, it was easy, we hadn’t changed any tyres and I really felt good. It’s still too early to draw conclusions, we’re on the first day. We went out for a couple of hours in the morning to test the bike. In the afternoon, after the rain, I was a little bit confused, it was a little bit harder and we didn’t ride too much. Tomorrow we will try to start well from the beginning and attack.”
“I was expecting better for me and to be little bit faster. I learnt a lot and I did a lot of laps. After some months, it has been very long time. I stayed calm and at the end of the day I did a very important step understanding my mistakes and how to ride better this Ducati bike. The are some points of huge potential. Step by step I will understand, I keep smiling because I’m living a good feeling. I don’t have any problem to have a bike from 2019 because it’s official and it’s a satellite team. My working plan for the reamining days is to understand more this bike and to be relaxed. If I do a good job I can be in the low 1:59.”
