Casey Stoner to test the Ducati at the Red Bull Ring
Ducati Corse test rider Casey Stoner will get another outing on the Desmosedici GP16 when he joins Ducati for his first official test at the newly added Red Bull Ring in Austria a month before the first MotoGP race there in July.
With the Red Bull Ring being a new circuit to MotoGP for 2016, Michelin don’t have much data on the circuit, so have requested teams can gain some data for them. The nature of the circuit (one two left handed corners) means that Michelin are considering taking an asymmetric tyre to ensure the left hand side of the tyre remains up to temperature.
Because of this a public test has been scheduled for the 19th and 20th of July, the Tuesday and Wednesday after the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring.
As well as the Factory Ducati team, the Factory Movistar Yamaha, Ecstar Suzuki and Gresini Aprilia teams will all also be on hand, as well as the LCR Honda team to make part in the test – The Factory Repsol Honda team on the other hand won’t be attending due to only have two permitted test days allowed in 2016, and they’re pencilled in to be after the race in Brno, testing 2017 machinery. Neither Marquez nor Pedrosa will be present unless they want to sacrifice one of the two Brno test days. Honda had requested to do the test on their RC213V-S road machines, but the other factories rebuffed the request on the grounds of “safety”.
Whilst teams haven’t yet confirmed who they will be sending to Spielberg for the test, German website Speedweek.com are reporting that Casey Stoner will be the man there for Ducati. Ducati are expected to have both Factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone on hand in Austria, as well as usual test rider Michele Pirro, however the addition of Stoner will further prompt wildcard rumours, something Speedweek continue to say is a possibility in Misano, Aragon or Phillip Island.
Ducati Sporting Director told the German website that Ducati can go to the test with both factory riders, something which undoubtedly help them come the Grand Prix in August.
The test is an open test, so fans will be allowed into the circuit free of admission to watch the test, however the paddock area will still be monitored by security.
Photos via Ducati Corse