Recently, it was part-time retiree Casey Stoner who put the spotlight on working as a test driver for a factory team.
This one is Ducati, and to hear the double World Champion and crowned in 2007 with the reds, it is he who is working hard to progress a D16 GP that the incumbent riders could still better honor during the Grands Prix. Dovizioso and Iannone will appreciate it. But what does the one no one thinks about, Michele Pirro, say?
He doesn't have the aura of the aforementioned but he is a hard worker and a hard worker that Ducati is happy to have in its ranks. Because it is indeed the 31-year-old native of San Giovani Rotondo who is the workhorse of Desmosedici. Moreover, he is currently in Sepang for the Michelin tests on the new asphalt of the Malaysian Grand Prix track. That shows if we trust him.
We never talk about him and yet he is hardly bored: six Grands Prix within three different teams, tests for the factory and four rounds of the Italian Superbike championship, that gives us a busy schedule from the start of the year. If you look closely, the red thread for the Desmosedici is him: “ when you ride three different bikes in the same season, you collect more information and have an idea of the path to take to progress » comments the Italian on Sports Rider. " It is clear that the GP14 has nothing to do with the GP16, but it is interesting to know where the GP16 is better compared to the GP14, or even the GP15. Finally, I also rediscovered all the versions with the Michelin tire ».
An essential experience, even in the electronic age: “ From my point of view, the sensations of a pilot are important because the engineers are sitting in front of a screen while I am familiar with 300 km/h on the handlebars. Osmosis is there when the engineer understands what is best for the pilot and the pilot understands what the engineer is explaining and wants. It's essential ". The fact remains that these interims do not highlight it: “ what is complicated is adapting to the working methods of the different teams. I also face drivers who know their environment well and have done the whole season. They are at full throttle from the start and the four tenths that I have to recover are enormous at this level of the competition ».
And then he clarifies that he’s not here for that: “ The goal is not to ride the bike, but to understand it in order to be fast with it. My goal is first to be consistent, then to try to be fast and finally not to do anything stupid that would irritate Ducati ". So many safeguards that encourage you to take measure. But Pirro don't complain: Ducati is in my heart and as I love competition I try to help the teams as much as I can when it is necessary to make a replacement. For the moment, our GP16 lacks regularity following the routes covered. When she adapts well to the tires like in Qatar, Mugello or Assen, she is in front. In Barcelona or Jerez we suffered more. But I think that with Lorenzo it will be different because we often miss victory by nothing. ».
On this point, Pirro copies the official speech of his employer not without adding a touch of humility: “ I'm happy that Jorge will join us next year and he will help us improve further. I'm happy when I see the Ducatis in front. If Lorenzo wins next year, it will be additional motivation to work even better ».
And what about Stoner who erases it from the landscape as soon as its shadow appears? Here too, humility is the key word: “ we have never had the opportunity to test together but I would really like it because he is a fast driver and I could learn a lot from him. It would be good. We talked about the behavior of the bike at Mugello. We both have the same goal and we both hope that Lorenzo will bring all the work accomplished to fruition ».
When the Desmosedici is on the top step of the podium, you will have to think a little about Michele Pirro.
