THE FORMER world number two, and the only man to really run Valentino Rossi close in the 990cc MotoGP era will test at Mugello from 17-19 June. The Spanish rider expressed his desire to get back on track during a brief visit to the Catalunya paddock last weekend, and offered the Ducati MotoGP Test Team a welcome opportunity to intensify its development program. As a result, Gibernau, who knows the D16 very well, and was one of the first to test the GP7 in Motegi in September 2006, will join official test rider Vittoriano Guareschi during next week's test session.
The former world number two, and the only man to really run Valentino Rossi close in the 990cc MotoGP era will test at Mugello from 17-19 June. The Spanish rider expressed his desire to get back on track during a brief visit to the Catalunya paddock last weekend, and offered the Ducati MotoGP Test Team a welcome opportunity to intensify its development program. As a result, Gibernau, who knows the D16 very well, and was one of the first to test the GP7 in Motegi in September 2006, will join official test rider Vittoriano Guareschi during next week's test session.
Gibernau said: "I'm honoured by this possibility that Ducati has given me. I'm very excited and I'm in perfect shape, even if it has been a while since I have been on a GP bike. It is just a test but I'll give my absolute maximum. I can't wait to enjoy once again the feeling of bringing a MotoGP machine to its limit."
Filippo Preziosi, General Director of Ducati Corse said: "We were happy to see Sete so excited at the possibility of riding a MotoGP bike again, and it was this enthusiasm that led to the possibility of organising this test together. The tests we carried out with the GP9 in Catalunya earlier this week gave good feedback and, by having Sete and Vito testing alongside each other, we will be able to carry out a wide range of more intensive tests with our GP8 and GP9 machines."
Niccolï Canepa will spend two days at the Brno circuit next week testing with Bridgestone. The Czech track has been completely resurfaced since last year's race and the new tyre regulations for 2008 allow the possibility to carry out pre-race testing.
