After setting the best time on Monday during the first day of testing, the Australian took part in a press conference which is shown here in full.
How did it feel to be the fastest on Monday?
" Interesting ! We did a few laps before everyone else on Thursday, but to be honest not enough. We did about 20 laps before it rained and we didn't get much data. So Monday was really good for us to reconfirm everything. We had a nice, long session, lasting most of the day. Most of the things we did took a bit of time – changing parts etc – so we had some pretty big gaps between each run, but we certainly got some very positive responses with a reasonably dry track. Which is hard to find these days here! We are very happy and satisfied with the work we have done, but like everyone else the weather has really hampered our testing program. Since I wasn't testing on Tuesday, we didn't finish some things we needed to finish. Tomorrow we hope to get better weather and better data and we can continue where we left off yesterday and find some positives to take from this test.
What's the biggest difference between last year's bike and this year's?
“The absence of fins is the biggest difference. We still need a little time to find the balance of the bike without them, because they added load and some characteristics to the bike. We found some positives and negatives. But we need a little more time and data without the fins, because the Ducati has had them for a few years now.
Did you find it more unstable?
“There's a little more wheelie, a little more instability at high speeds – not a lot – but just a different character in the way the bike wants to ride mid-corner, etc., and I don't think we let's get where we can. We literally did an adaptation of the springs to compensate for the lack of downforce, so we went down two, etc., and stopped there because we just needed a reasonably balanced bike to compare chassis stiffness to.
Is the new bike a big improvement over last year?
“I would say the chassis version that came out in the middle of last year is similar. I found some improvements and the way it exits corners a little more to my liking. But we haven't done many direct comparisons between last year's bike and this year's bike. It's mainly about working towards the future, rather than looking back. But I haven't found too many negative effects, other than the ones we're trying to minimize since the fins went away. But I haven't really had too many issues with it, I just know we can refine it all a little better. And then there are a few other areas where I know we can improve a little more.
Are you sure the fins are gone?
« Yes, right now!
How can you help Jorge understand and adapt to this bike?
"I don't know if I can help him much." It has been with a manufacturer for a long time. He's been with a manufacturer more than anyone in this paddock other than Dani. So it will take time for him to adapt. And Yamaha and Ducati are polar opposites, like with power and engine characteristics and so on.
“So it's going to take a little while, but he's got a pretty good mindset and is taking things step by step. It will take time, and we will have it before the first race. So I'm not too concerned at this point. I think we just have to let Jorge and Cristian [Gabarrini] work together with the team and try to find that good balance where he is comfortable.
Do you see yourself more as a mentor to the drivers than as a development driver?
“I wouldn’t really want to say mentor, no. I think I'm helpful in the way that maybe I'm able to find things with the bike that a lot of other test riders can't find. But at the same time every driver has their personality and there are certain things where you can help and teach and maybe show or suggest that they try. But at the end of the day, it's very difficult to convince someone who is already at that level and already fast to do things differently and tell them it's going to be better. You have to do things delicately in this kind of situation, but if anyone asks me, I'm more than happy to give some of my knowledge.
Are there any races for you this year?
“No, no racing program.
What is your opinion on the fins?
“I think they were good to a certain extent. Even for me, I found them very useful to a certain extent. Especially for certain circuits they help massively with riding, they made a bike stable in areas where I don't think any bike was going to be stable. I think it helped everyone, and seeing some of the things that other manufacturers have started will show that maybe they will regret the decisions to get the ban. So, they definitely had their points of utility, but at the same time, that's the way racing has been for years. We had to stop electronic development, because in my opinion it went too far, and it's still too good, and I would like it to be minimized. But this is what we have. So it's aspects like that, it's a way that we really need to maintain the industry and move forward, and in a way, it's how far will we go? So it's a difficult debate.
Do you get great satisfaction from developing a racing motorcycle to win?
“I probably just came at the right time, to be honest. I can't take credit for that. Yes, I believe I have provided some very useful and important data to help in this direction. But it was very nice to be here again when Ducati finally won again, and to win twice in one season was fantastic, and honestly I think we had more opportunities that didn't come to fruition. It’s really a great transition at Ducati. Now, especially I'm a little more comfortable with the bike, I don't do a lot of testing, so it just takes a little time to get that feeling back. So I feel like now I can give even better data, because I'm immediately more comfortable and we don't have to be on track very long before I can give good data, whereas before I needed a few more rounds to absorb everything again. So, it's been a very, very pleasant transition to be honest.
Did you ride before this test?
“I didn’t do a single lap. It would have been nice to do that, but it takes a little getting used to again sometimes, although the new surface and wet parts are...interesting. But yeah, it's taking me a bit of time, and I'd normally want to do a bit of enduro or something just on a motorbike, but to be honest the last few months I've been ridiculously busy and haven't been riding on a motorcycle over the last few months. So it was interesting to come back here. But we trained really hard in really hot weather in the Gold Coast, so it was perfect conditions to come here and it made it easier for me.
Is riding still a job for you, or do you have a different approach now that you've been away from motorcycling for so long?
" Not really. It's a job. To be honest it's nice that the electronics haven't advanced any further, there's still some glide, I can still ride the way I want I guess. The last few steps we did with the Ducati allowed me to turn the bike a little better with the throttle, and that's something that really makes me happy, I'm able to look for grip and find her. But yeah, after many years, it's not something that gives you a big adrenaline rush or a kick, it's back to work, basically.
Do you think Jorge & Cristian Gabarrini (Lorenzo's team leader) go well together?
“I'm quite sure Cristian can work with anyone anyway, and Jorge has worked with a lot of people and managed to work and win with a lot of teams. So I have no doubt that they will find a way to work together and communicate, but Cristian already seems very happy to work with Jorge, his direction and his clarity, and everything seems really very good. Everyone is happy.
Are they also suitable in terms of personality?
" Yes.
Can Jorge win a title with this Ducati?
“Without having tested each bike, it’s really impossible to say. It depends on so many different aspects. As you saw last year, based on Marc's results, you wouldn't have said he was going to win the championship, but everyone made mistakes and he stayed consistent. He finished races when everyone else didn't and won the championship. But at the start of last season you would have said Jorge was going to win the championship for sure with the speed he had here, which could be quite different coming out of this test. You can never predict it, but I'm very confident in the package we have. If we can win one or two races, I believe there will be more races to win, and if you can win more races, you have every chance of winning a championship. So it's up to the driver and the team to put it all together every weekend, to try and make it happen. But if two of us were able to be first and second in yesterday's test, then there is more than enough hope for us to win a championship.
Viñales said he can't understand why you don't run if you go so fast...
“People said I was just retiring because I lost my speed, and that wasn't the truth. I didn't retire because I wasn't fast enough. I'm not interested in going back to racing, I see you all for short periods, and we enjoy each other's company, and then I'll go home, so that's great! »
Source: Neil Morrison for crash.net
