Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Race > Will Ducati Parts bill increase by 10 fold today?

[Mark]

Taken from; http://www.crash.net

MotoGP rookie Ruben Xaus will test a Marlboro Ducati at Mugello tomorrow (Tuesday), forming part of a four man line-up completed by Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss and test rider Vittoriano Guareschi.

Following back-to-back tests at Le Mans and over the Mugello race weekend, Capirossi and Bayliss have opted to use the GP4 for the remainder of the 2004 season.

d'Antin Ducati rider Xaus - who claimed an excellent fifth in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix - will help the factory race riders with their chassis development work.

"It is very important for me to get as much track time as possible to help adapt to MotoGP," said Ruben. "I have been working with Ducati for a long time and I am sure that these tests will be useful for all of us."

"We have no problem with giving our rider to collaborate with Ducati Corse, because we defend the same interests and we are first of all interested in improving the development (of the machine)," added team prinicipal Luis d'Antin. "I hope that our help will be useful in this way and I am convinced that for Rubén it is going to be very helpful."

"We would like to thank Ruben Xaus for making himself available for the test," stated Marlboro Ducati team director Livio Suppo. "We asked him to take part tomorrow so that we can accumulate the maximum amount of data possible. Thanks also to (team manager) Luis D'Antin for enthusiastically agreeing to allow his rider to take part in this test."

Second d'Antin rider Neil Hodgson will not take part in the test due to his recent rib injuries.

Meanwhile, Guareschi will give the latest version of the 'twin pulse' engine, essentially a big bang configuration first seen during early development of the team's 2003 GP machine, its track debut at Mugello tomorrow.

Should it prove a success, the 'twin pulse' will then be ridden by Capirossi and Bayliss on the Monday after this weekend's Catalan GP.

[TP]

Nah - he's busted up!

But while he is on the sidelines he is missing the opportunity to march on like Xaus did on Sunday, and impress the factory. No offence to Neil but his WorldSBK championship wasn't exactly won in the most competitive series and although he did just fine the year before when Bayliss and Edwards were still there my opinion would be that he is yet to be tested and produce.

Time will tell.

I'm battening down the hatches now ... flame retardant suit on ...

[Ray]

Weeksy,

Hodgy is injured, certainly not fully fit??

Would you put Ruben on a your bike if you were picking up the bill???

I don't fink so!!

Don't get me wrong Ruben is a very spectacular rider as well as fast but pretty wild.

Ray.

PS. get yerself up to Croft.

[Ian]

yes, i told you lot he was a potential winner, i can tell these things ya know, ( i wish).

This is a wonderful break for him, - he has a racing arrogance that means he is not afraid of stuffing it up the inside of so called superstars and ex world champs. No dis-respect for Hodgy but he has been and perhaps is still at the top of his game, - Xaus is still learning and i believe will be good enough to run with the top 3 in the world at some point, Rossi, Biaggi, and Sete, - World Champion at Moto GP, perhaps not, race winner yes.

And yes if I did have a desmosedeci i would lend it to him, but i am easily impressed, - and meeting him he really impressed me.

[Felix]

Good for him to get some seat time one the 04 Ducati. It also shows that Ducati is strongly committed to solving their problems. Nothing can substitute for testing miles.

Ruben indeed is spectacular to watch and very much has the needed "attitude" for racing. Given a competitive bikes, I agree that he would be running at the sharp end of things. The 6 lap "club race" last Sunday showed that he has what it takes. Yes, he may crash now and then (far less than he used to a couple fo years ago), but as they say: If you're not crashing, not you're not trying hard enough. (At least, this has always worked for me.)

I vividely remember running into him at Laguna Seca last year, as he was about to enter his pit garage just before the second race of the day. Because he crashed out of the lead in the first race, I said to him "stay on it this time!" He walked a couple more steps, then turned around, looked at me, and simply gave me the finger. He promptly won the second race! Pure class!

I've met him since and he is a top guy. Best of luck to him.

[Jon]

I think they should get a real test rider to tell them whats wrong.
Rossi could sort it for them

I don't think having three very different riders with different styles will be very fruitfull.

[Mark]

Good point, but then, Rossi's style might not match others...

[Mark]

Posted this on wrong thread! DURRR

See here