Mattia Pasini has been handed another chance to impress Ducati having been handed a second test on board a factory GP9 in Mugello this week.
The Italian, who has won ten world championship races in the 125 and 250 classes, first tested a GP9 for the satellite Pramac team after last month’s Czech Republic GP in Brno.
Impressed by his performance in Brno, Pasini turned down the chance to replace Mika Kallio in the Pramac squad while the Finn was deputising for Casey Stoner in the factory team. Motorcycle News
“It is so much fun to ride the Ducati here at Mugello - this is the circuit to do it at!” commented Mattia. “The surface was a little slippery and we’re not here to set super fast lap times but by the end we weren’t going slowly either. I spent this morning ‘getting my eye in’ for the track and the speed, which is probably more difficult here [than other circuits], but after that we were able to start making a few little changes to adapt the bike to my riding style. This is a wonderful experience for which I would like to thank Ducati once again. I can’t wait for tomorrow because it is important to have more than a single day on the bike and to get back on it after sleeping on things overnight and allowing all the feelings and excitement of today to sink in.” Superbike News
However immediately after the test, which he unsurprisingly finished 13th and last, Pasini announced that he would stay with Team Toth Aprilia in the quarter-litre class.
“Overall I am very satisfied with how things went. Now I will have to concentrate to my 250cc championship as I still have the possibility to aim for the title,” he explained.
That seemed a strange statement as Pasini was only fifth in the championship and already 72 points behind title leader Hiroshi Aoyama, while Pramac team boss Paulo Campinoti made his disappointment clear.
“We are sorry that he will not be able to ride with us in the next couple of races,” he stated.
Despite the refusal, which may have been for contractual reasons, Pasini has clearly caught Ducati’s eye and he will now ride alongside official test rider Vittoriano Guareschi - and under the supervision of Filippo Preziosi - during a three-day private test at Mugello from September 22 - 24. Yahoo! Eurosport
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