Day 2 of Ducati and MotoGP CRT testing at Jerez

Today saw the second session of training for the MotoGP CRT and Ducati World Championship at the Jerez Circuit. After the opening day, we already have another rider who has made his debut with his 1000cc bike for the 2012 season: James Ellison, who has climbed onto his top-category machine for the first time.

The fastest in this session was once again Randy de Puniet. The Frenchman set a 1:40.9 after 50 laps of the Andalusian track and continues to work tirelessly with his ART from Team Aspar. The #14 is very excited about this new project for next season, and he managed to shave seven tenths off yesterday’s time. Behind him, Mattia Pasini placed, the Italian setting a 1:42.0 after 53 laps, so the outright leader is quite far off, more than a second behind the time De Puniet achieved today.

The Italian, who will use number 54 as his race number, was the second-fastest, improving day by day and getting a feel for his ART with Speed Master Team. Somewhat further back was Aleix Espargaró, who still isn’t feeling quite right. Remember that yesterday he had to end his training a little early because he had a fever, so he took part in this test while still unwell from the Catalan, and despite that he managed a 1:42.6 after 45 laps. No doubt a very eventful day for Aleix, as he crashed twice, luckily neither with physical consequences; it all ended in a scare.

The main problem is in the turning in fast corners. I have no `feeling´ and end up leaving the racing line.

Further back was Danilo Petrucci, with a lap time of 1:43.3, giving his all with Giampero Sachi’s project, Ioda Racing, which has its own multitubular chassis housing an Aprilia engine. The #9 went down, luckily without consequences, but this forced a red flag to clear the track of debris.

Although today one of the points drawing the most attention was the return home of James Ellison. After five years he is back in the MotoGP category, and he does so as a rookie with the CRT from Team Paul Bird, an ART with which he completed 36 laps in this first introduction, setting a 1:44.4, the last in terms of times.

Remember that the Ducati brand is also at the Andalusian track, still working on fine-tuning its machines for the 2012 season. Today, however, has been a complicated day for them: besides their regular test rider, Franco Battaini, they also had Karel Abraham in the box, who suffered a serious accident that left the red bike wrecked, especially because it caught fire after the fall and its nose was destroyed. Luckily the Czech is in perfect condition. This could leave our Héctor Barberá without riding the Desmosedici tomorrow, although we all hope the mechanics can repair the damage tonight, but we have no confirmation.