Ducati rider Valentino Rossi to use Desmosedici GP12 for Jerez test – MotoGP news
Ducati Team rider Valentino Rossi will be testing the Desmosedici GP12 this Friday at Jerez, Spain.
After a disappointing race at Motorland Aragon, he looks forward to developing the 2012 project.
The nine-time world champion, Rossi, has done many changes in the ongoing season’s GP11. After suggesting using the 2012 chassis with an 800cc engine, he felt some improvements but they were short-lived.
Ducati boss, Filippo Preziosi and Rossi are struggling hard to develop the current project GP11.1 to becoming a winning challenger. This aim continues as the 2012 GP12 machine is in testing and they want it to be the best by the start of the new MotoGP season.
Then the idea came to replace the conventional Ducati carbon fibre frame with a remake in aluminium. Earlier the carbon fibre chassis was tested with two levels of rigidity but both did not help.
However, after the failure of the test with the Ducati concept in aluminium, the company has decided to use a full aluminium Delta-box frame in the Desmosedici GP12.
Later this weekend, Rossi will test the improved GP12 at the Jerez circuit. It is the same venue where GP12 made its track debut earlier this season. The Friday’s test run will be counted as the seventh test day out of MotoGP allotted eight test days.
The GP11.1 frame and the new GP12 frame is designed and developed by a British frame company FTR. The company holds a great experience in building racing chassis. The Delta-box frame is identical to the frame used by the Japanese competitors in the MotoGP.
After the disappointment from Aragon GP, he has also suggested to change his riding position on the GP11.1. It is because Rossi feels unconfident with the present riding position and it drops the performance.
Considering Casey Stoner’s Ducati era, Rossi said that he is significantly slow on the straights as compared to Stoner. In addition, Nicky Hayden has suffered the same issue. It is also said that the drop in performance might be due to the physical appearance
as Stoner is short, whereas Rossi and Hayden are taller.
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