Ducati Team’s Filippo Preziosi tests Desmosedici GP12 at Valencia circuit – MotoGP news
Technical Director for Ducati Team, Filippo Preziosi hit the track with its factory riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, on an experimental Ducati Desmosedici GP12.
The test version of the Desmosedici is built on the revised strategic aluminium frame. The previous model, GP11 was built on the conventional Ducati’s carbon fibre chassis.
The carbon frame had a rigidity issue that forced the bike to understeer a lot. The problem was reported by Rossi since he tested the GP11 during the winter tests at Valencia in 2010.
Ducati’s factory rider Rossi hit the track with an aluminium framed Ducati GP12. He hit the track during the post race test following the Valencia GP held last weekend.
Preziosi explained the importance of the test with a specific model and said, “Now we have designed a bike that has different technology for the frame, we would like to make the weight distribution, and everything else, the same as the standard bike in order
to do a comparison. Then based on the results of our rider’s comments and data acquisition, we will define the final targets for the design of the next bike for the future.”
The technical director added that the new custom-built frame allows several changes without developing new components.
The most important characteristic of the aluminium frame is that it helps change the pivot settings of the swing arm. The engine can also be repositioned without even developing a new power plant.
The MotoGP regulation of using only six engines in a specific season hinders from using extra engines.
Earlier in the season, Rossi had to use a seventh engine built for the aluminium frame. It cost him a 10-second penalty in race start from the pit lane.
The factory riders spent large number of hours to test and develop the GP11 as well as search the progressive direction for GP12, the 2012 prototype.
He commented on the efforts made by Rossi and Hayden, “This is the worst thing you can ask of a rider - They are riders and they want to perform their best during the Sunday race, so asking them to act as a test rider during the entire weekend is something
difficult.”
The Ducati team aims to start the 2012 season with high performance levels that would set them as title contenders.
Tags: