The 2020 MotoGP season officially got underway today with the first of two days of scheduled testing at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Cheste. In sunny but rather cold conditions, the riders had seven hours of track time available from 10.00 to 17.00 and after the first day of action, Andrea Dovizioso finished the session in fourth place on the 2020 version of his factory Desmosedici GP, with a lap time of 1’30.665.
Unfortunately pain in Danilo Petrucci’s left shoulder, which he injured when he crashed in the race on Sunday, affected the Italian’s test session, and he was only able to complete a total of ten laps – the best of which in 1’31.433 – finishing the day in twelfth place overall.
After having some checks with the doctors of the Clinica Mobile, Petrucci decided not to continue today and will decide tomorrow if he can go out on track again or if it will be better to wait until the next test at Jerez, scheduled for the 25/26 November.
The team’s third rider Michele Pirro was also out on track today, testing a number of new solutions on his bike, and he wrapped up the day in eighteenth place with a time of 1’32.016.
Andrea Dovizioso (#04 Ducati Team) – 1’30.665 (4th) – 58 laps
“I’m pleased because we tested some new stuff and it’s very interesting. Of course we’ll have to do some more tests with everything and also get some feedback on another track, to confirm the positive feeling we had today and then work on the details to try and make more improvements. In any case today went very well and I’m really satisfied”.
Danilo Petrucci (#9 Ducati Team) – 1’31.433 (12th) – 10 laps
“Unfortunately I was only able to do a few laps today because my left shoulder, which was already giving me a few problems, was injured a bit more in my crash on Sunday. Even though I tried to rest on Monday, when I got back on the bike today I didn’t have any strength in it so I preferred to stop and see if I can do a few laps tomorrow or if it will be better to postpone everything to next week at Jerez. Despite the fact I only did a few laps, my first impressions of the 2020 bike are certainly positive”.
The Ducati Team will be back on track tomorrow for the second and final day of testing scheduled at Valencia.
