Jerez MotoGP Test – Jerez Circuit
Reale Avintia Racing team completed a successful two-days test at Jerez Circuit in Spain. Following the first test in Valencia with the new 2018 riders, Tito Rabat and Xavier Siméon one week ago, the work continued for the Spanish team in the last two days in Jerez.
With sunny and warm conditions, Tito Rabat was one of the fastest riders on track riding his Ducati Desmosedici GP17 with really good pace. The Spaniard sat his fastest lap today in 1’38.387, only 0.5s from the Top 3 and he declared himself very happy with his speed. Rabat was the only MotoGP rider who was able to complete a full race simulation at Jerez and, although he still needs to improve the last few laps, the result was really positive.
The two-days test was also positive for Xavier Siméon. The Belgium rider still learning and adapting to the MotoGP class and he worked closely with the team and his coach, Ruben Xaus, to change his riding style to suit it to the demands of his Ducati GP16. During the course of the test he continued discovering the Michelin tyres and the bike, and although losing half a day yesterday due to a crash, he leaves Jerez happy with the job done.
Reale Avintia Racing riders will take a well-deserved break to get back to action in the first winter test of the season at the end of January at Sepang in Malaysia.
“I’m very happy because we have done a great test here in Jerez, I’m competitive and I have seen that I can be quick on one lap, but the most important thing is that I can do it many times and with constant pace. The bike it’s very competitive and I’m fit, so I’m super happy, but there are also some areas where we need to work on and that’s the last five laps of the race, but if I improve with the throttle, we can make a big step. I love the winglets and depending on the rider they are better or worse, but in my case they allow me to concentrate even more on the turns and I think that I will always use them. Now it’s time to work during the winter break to get strong and ready for Sepang. I’m going to do a cycling, gym, ride bikes and we also have some funny races ahead with ‘Julito’ (Simón), so I hope this two months pass fast to jump again in my Ducati. ”
“Yesterday I started very well and had very good feelings with the bike, in fact I inmediately did some good lap times, but halfway through the day I suffered a crash in turn five and lost the rest of the day because the bike was quite damaged. But the team has done a great job to repair it and today I’ve taken things more calmly; It was important to do a much laps as possible. I matched yesterday lap times quite easy, but then it was difficult for me to improve in the afternoon. In the last 20 laps we have improve the pace quite a lot and overall I’m happy. I have something clear and it’s that I need to change my riding style a lot to get the best out of the bike. Now it’s time to rest and recover because with all the bones that I’ve broken in the last few month I struggled a little bit this afternoon. I must to prepare and recover to the maximum to arrive in full fitness to Malaysia. “
