Round nine of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season is edging ever closer and with the mid-season break’s annual test now done at MotorLand Aragon, there’s a lot to look forward to in the final four events of 2023. One of the shining lights of the test was Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who was third on day one but the fastest of the riders not to use a Superpole tyre, whilst on day two, he was the fastest rider in the morning session and the first rider across the two days to set a sub 1’50 lap time, with a 1’49.168 to beat. The two-time MotoGP™ winner and three-time WorldSBK podium finisher had plenty to test, including some things from the factory team like electronics and engine braking, as he revelled on his WorldSBK-Aragon debut.

Day one was a solid day for Petrucci, who hailed it as “the best testing day” of his time in WorldSBK so far, in what was something of a breakthrough for the Italian. However, on day two, ‘Petrux’ was in a class of his own as he stormed up the order, at one point being nearly a second clear of Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in P2.

Speaking after the opening day, Petrucci said: “Maybe it’s the first day of the test this year that went straight. We didn’t make many modifications, but we got some new parts; new brake discs. We needed to compare some parts, like the triple clamp and small setup adjustments. In the end, it wasn’t bad. The lap times were harder to repeat in the afternoon as the wind was a bit stronger; in the morning, I had a better feeling. In the end, without using a Q tyre, we were fast until the end and with the pace, I can repeat the time and I can be satisfied.”

Day two took place in much better conditions, with Petrucci hailing the test overall as a big breakthrough, particularly with the Q tyre: “Day two was okay. We found the track was a bit faster than day one, and it was less windy. The feeling was good. We followed our programme to test some different triple clamps and something different on the brakes and engine brake. We also put on an SCQ tyre at the end of the morning session, and I felt okay. One of the areas I’m struggling in the most is Superpole, and the first laps of races, so we focused on this at the test. Since lap one this morning, I was able to be fast and the feeling with the bike was okay.

“With the WorldSBK format, if you have a bad Superpole or Superpole Race, your Race 1 and Race 2 are over. If you’re not fast, you start so far back. Superpole is really important and especially being with a new tyre to create a gap and follow the first riders. This is one of the things we worked with at this test.”

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Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was under race lap record pace at MotorLand Aragon as the lap times dropped considerably on the second and final morning of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship testing. The Italian rider went two tenths quicker than the race lap record set last year by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), while the #9 finished around three tenths clear of his rivals at the end of the first four-hour session.

Petrucci’s best lap of the morning came on his 26^th lap, out of 27, when he set a 1’49.168s. It is comfortably the fastest time of the two-day test so far with the #9 lapping almost three tenths clear of anyone else, while it was around two tenths faster than Razgatlioglu’s race lap record of 1’49.375 set in last year’s Tissot Superpole Race. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) continued showing his rapid pace at Aragon as he took second place with a 1’49.466s while reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third after finding more speed compared to yesterday. Lecuona and Bautista were the busiest riders on track in the morning, completing 58 and 56 laps respectively.

Bautista was directly ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in fourth, with the six-time Champion testing for the first time during the two-day test. He posted a best of 1’49.939s to secure fourth place, with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) taking fifth place after lapping two tenths slower than the #65. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) once again ensured two Hondas were at the top of the timesheets as he rounded out the top six.

Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) continued his excellent test as he stayed as the lead BMW rider in seventh, lapping Aragon in 1’50.557s. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took eighth as he split his programme across three ZX-10RR machines with the Brit posting a 1’50.600s. He was ahead of BMW trio Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team duo of Michael van der Mark and Scott Redding. Only two tenths separated the three BMW riders. Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) rounded out the WorldSBK riders as he posted a 1’51.588s.

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Photo credits: LZ Photos Media

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Silly season in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has been eventful already and one seat that is still up for grabs is the one next to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in 2024. Incumbent Michael Ruben Rinaldi has been trying to secure his future with the team but, speaking on day one at the Aragon test, Team Manager Serafino Foti dropped the biggest hint yet that the team have decided on a future without the Italian.

The #21 topped the times on the opening day of the test but has found results hard to come by this season, with a combination of bad luck and poor weekends leaving him languishing seventh in the Riders’ Championship standings, despite taking five podiums. He is behind teammate Bautista as well as two Independent Ducati riders, with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) fifth and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) sixth.

Several names have been linked with Rinaldi’s seat for 2024 including Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), who currently leads the WorldSSP standings. During the Aragon test, Foti was asked for an update on when a decision would be made and communicated. He stated a final decision would be made in the upcoming days with a goal to announce their line-up at the French Round at the start of September.

Expanding on this, Foti said: “We are really close to a decision. We have a final meeting in the next few days. Our goal will be to announce our line-up at Magny-Cours. To be honest, as I’ve said in the past, Bulega’s one of the best options but we also have other options. We have a clear idea, but we would like to understand really what is the best choice for us. We have a really good relationship with Rinaldi. He’s like a son but racing is racing. He was so fast on day one for us. I hope he can continue with Ducati because we will try to find him a place. The final decision will be made in the next few days.”

Should Bulega get the nod for the WorldSBK seat, it would leave an opening in WorldSSP at the team currently leading the Championship. Like in World Superbike, several riders have been linked with the World Supersport team, but nothing has yet been made official about that seat. When pressed for an update on the WorldSSP situation, Foti refused to name names about their target.

He said: “At this moment, we tried to speak to many riders. A lot of riders also asked about riding in WorldSSP. We need to be honest, and I try to be clear, we have many riders and I try to speak to them. It’s a little bit early but we would also like to define in the next month.”

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Adrian Huertas made his debut on MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship machinery on Tuesday during the MotorLand Aragon test and he was quickly up to speed on the ZX-10RR as he rode with the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK squad. The Spaniard posted a 1’51.044s in the afternoon session to move into the top three briefly before being overhauled by his competitors but he finished as the lead Kawasaki rider as he took sixth place overall.

Huertas was one of the first riders to hit the track when the green flags waved in the morning, and he completed 50 laps in the first four-hour part of the day. This was the second highest in that session, with only Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) completing more, with 53 and 54 respectively. The #99’s best time in the morning was a 1’52.502s which put him last in the classification but less than two tenths behind Florian Marino, who was also testing for KRT.

In the afternoon, the WorldSSP star immediately improved his time by half-a-second before he found even more time right at the end of his day. He moved into second place after posting a 1’51.044s but, with his day ending earlier than other riders, was demoted to sixth when several other riders found time at the end of the day. In total, the debutant racked up 79 laps on the ZX-10RR and finished around six tenths slower than Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) best time of 1’50.388s. Although a like-for-like comparison isn’t available due to differing conditions and several other variables, his lap time would have put him 19^th on the grid in last year’s Aragon Round with two Kawasaki riders behind him.

Reacting to his first day on World Superbike machinery, Huertas said: “It was amazing. I want to thank Kawasaki for the opportunity because it was a really helpful test for me to understand how to ride the bike. It was my first time on a 1000cc bike. It’s incredible. It has a lot of power and I already felt really good. I’m happy overall with the day. I expected to be fast because I consider myself to be a top rider, but I didn’t expect, on the first day at a test on the big bike, to be doing this.”

The 20-year-old is in his second season of WorldSSP action after moving to the Championship the year after he won the 2021 WorldSSP300 crown. In 2022, he finished 12^th in the standings with a best finish of seventh but was immediately, and consistently, a points scorer and fighting for the lower end of the top ten. He has built on that in 2023 with two fourth-place finishes and been a regular inside the top five, although his first podium still eludes him. Despite not having a podium to his name yet, Huertas has impressed and was given the chance to test WorldSBK machinery for his 2021 title success and rapid improvement in WorldSSP.

When asked about his future, and whether this test could help him in his quest for WorldSSP success, the Madrid-born rider said: “This test could be really helpful for WorldSSP. Also, it’s an extra motivation and I think, when I go to Magny-Cours, I can fight for the victory. I’m not really looking at WorldSBK for 2024. I’m just focused on World Supersport. I enjoyed the test which was a prize for winning the WorldSSP300 title and for improvement I’m making in WorldSSP.”

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Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) concluded day one of the MotorLand Aragon test on top by just over two tenths ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) as the first day of action came to an end. A little over three tenths separated the top three on a closely-packed day but all eyes were on Adrian Huertas, riding with the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK, as the WorldSBK debutant stunned the field in the afternoon to briefly appear in the top three.

ELECTRONIC TESTING AT DUCATI: working with new rev limits…

Ducati ended day one on top with Rinaldi securing first place as the #21 looked to work on the setup of the Panigale V4 R for the upcoming Aragon Round, while also testing some updates to the electronics. His best time was a 1’50.388s, set in the afternoon, while he also racked up 68 laps. Teammate Alvaro Bautista was seventh as he, like Rinaldi, focused on preparing for the round while testing some parts that could be used during the final four rounds of 2023. The reigning Champion set a best lap of 1’51.105s, improving his time slightly in the afternoon, as he completed 90 laps; the most of anyone.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the sole Independent Ducati rider out on track today, and he secured himself a top-three finish. Completing 51 laps and setting a best time of 1’50.619s, the #9 was one of only four riders to lap in the 1’50s bracket on day one. He had hoped to continue trying a new lower seat on his bike, while he had also been asked to try some new engine brake settings on Ducati’s electronics.

HONDA SHOW STRONG PACE: Lecuona, Vierge impress; Nagashima testing with the factory team

Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was the lead Honda rider on the opening day of action as he took second in the combined classification. His best time was set in the afternoon and was a 1’50.619s while the #97 also completed 74 laps. He was two places and around three tenths faster than teammate Iker Lecuona, with the #7 fast throughout the day. Until the closing stages of the afternoon session, the Spaniard had been on top before being overhauled by Rinaldi, Vierge and Petrucci. Meanwhile, Team HRC also had Tetsuta Nagashima on track with the Japanese rider finishing 12^th in the classification after setting a 1’51.988s. He did, however, complete 85 laps; the second-highest number.

A LONG LIST OF ITEMS FOR KAWASAKI: Huertas shows his potential at Aragon

Debutant Huertas shone under the Spanish sun on Tuesday as he secured fifth in the afternoon, and sixth overall. On lap 28 of 29 in the second session, the WorldSSP racer posted a 1’51.044s to go second before other riders overhauled him. It was a strong debut for the 2021 WorldSSP300 Champion as he recorded 79 laps and finished almost over half-a-second clear of development rider Florian Marino. Kawasaki opted to save race riders Alex Lowes and Jonathan Rea’s final allocated day of testing until Wednesday, with KRT having a list of 20 items to test; some for 2023 and some for next year. KRT will evaluate with Marino which items are for the present and which are for the future.

GERLOFF ON TOP AT BMW: all four riders closely matched

German manufacturer BMW had four riders at Aragon with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) the fastest, in fifth, despite it being his first time at the circuit on the M1000RR machine. The American completed 80 laps and set a best time of 1’51.031s. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the fastest factory BMW rider as he took eighth. He completed 58 laps, the fewest of all BMW riders, but was able to finish around a tenth clear of teammate Michael van der Mark in tenth place. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was 11^th overall with a 1’51.980s; the #76 completed 76 laps on day one.

BULEGA LEADS MACKENZIE: the #11 on top on day one

In WorldSSP, Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) led the way ahead of Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team). Bulega completed 56 laps with a best time of 1’55.369s while the most recent race winner in the Championship was around two seconds slower. Mackenzie did 53 laps on his Honda machine.

The top six from day one at Aragon:

1. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’50.388s, 68 laps

2. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 1’50.619s, 74 laps

3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’50.700s, 51 laps

4. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’50.950s, 48 laps

5. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’51.031s, 80 laps

6. Adrian Huertas (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’51.044s, 79 laps

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was the fastest rider on day one of testing at MotorLand Aragon as he headed the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field by just over two tenths. The Italian was strong throughout Tuesday’s running as he worked on refining his Panigale V4 R, eventually claiming top spot after a rapid late lap in the afternoon moved him to first place.

The #21 completed 38 laps in the first four-hour session and finished on top in the morning after posting a 1’50.818s, pipping Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) by just over a tenth. In the afternoon, Rinaldi added another 30 laps to his total and found half-a-second on his morning time. He set a 1’50.388s to claim first place in both the afternoon and overall. Once again, he was directly ahead of a Honda rider but this time it was Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) with the Spaniard around two tenths back from the Ducati rider.

Rinaldi’s focus was partially on the upcoming Aragon Round as he worked on the setup of his V4 R machine, while there was also an element of trying to understand the bike, and refining it, following two 250-rpm reductions this season. The five-time podium finisher in 2023 also had electronics update to test, although there were no new parts on the bike. Ducati, however, did bring more sensors to collect more information about the physical movement on the bike.

Reviewing the test after securing top spot, Rinaldi said: “After the long break, we’re back on track and I’m so happy about that because I missed it. Today was a really important day because we tried many things, but the grip was low, so the feeling wasn’t that good. We were able to try a lot of things to improve. It was a busy day. I felt the rpm reduction. There’s no grip today so maybe that doesn’t help our situation. If, in the race, we have this kind of grip, I will feel the lower rpm. Maybe if we have more grip, we will feel this problem less.

“It’s corner exit and the end of the straight. The problem is that we need to put one more tooth on the sprocket to not touch the limiter at some parts of the track. That means, when you open the throttle exiting corners, you have lower rpm and the power there is less. With no grip, you feel it a lot. We need to try to find something. This is why we worked a lot today.”

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Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) surged to the top of the times on the first morning of testing at MotorLand Aragon as some of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field headed to Spain. The Italian finished just over a tenth clear of his rivals to secure first place on Tuesday morning with the #21 one of only three riders to lap in the 1’50s bracket. He was ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC), who had been looking good for top spot right until the end of the session, and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in third.

Rinaldi had been outside the top three as the first session concluded but two fast laps, including his best of 1’50.818s, moved him up the order. He first moved into third place before jumping up to first ahead of Lecuona. The #7’s best time was 0.132s slower than Rinaldi but came shortly after Honda made some changes to the rider positioning on the CBR1000 RR-R. Petrucci took third place, 0.150s down on Rinaldi, with the #9 helping the factory Ducati team with their testing programme. The top three were the only riders in the 1’50s bracket.

Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) best time was 1’51.179s to claim fourth, 0.361s down on his teammate. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) finished as the lead BMW rider on Tuesday morning as he secured fifth, with the top five separated by less than 0.5s. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) ensured both of Honda’s race riders were in the top six as he posted a 1’51.304s, less than half-a-second down on his teammate’s best time.

Seventh belonged to Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) as the Dutchman continues to find full fitness following his comeback at Most, with the #60 directly ahead of teammate Scott Redding. Van der Mark’s best time was a 1’51.789s with Redding 0.157s slower. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) made it a hat-trick of BMW riders between seventh and ninth as he took the latter position, around a tenth down on Redding. Florian Marino (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) completed the top ten with a 1’52.373s.

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Adrian Huertas got his first taste of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship machinery on Tuesday at MotorLand Aragon as he deputises at the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK outfit for their first of two testing days at the Spanish venue. The 2021 WorldSSP300 Champion has impressed in WorldSSP since his graduation with MTM Kawasaki and KRT Team Manager, Guim Roda, explained why Huertas is testing for the team at Aragon.

The 20-year-old made his WorldSSP debut in 2022 and has worked his way into being a regular top-ten finisher, with a best result of fourth, although the elusive first podium still waits for the Madrid-born rider. His WorldSSP debut came in 2022 after he secured the 2021 WorldSSP300 title with six wins in 16 races, beating Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and teammate Jeffrey Buis to the crown in a dramatic season-long fight.

Huertas has now been testing Kawasaki’s WorldSBK-spec machine at Aragon as a reward for his evolution, jumping straight into WorldSBK action with the factory team that has enjoyed so much success in recent years with Jonathan Rea. The Spaniard will test for one of the two days before race riders Rea and Alex Lowes return to their seats, with Huertas riding alongside KRT’s development rider, Florian Marino, on Tuesday.

Explaining why KRT opted to call up Huertas, Roda said: “We have a plan to test two days to take the opportunity from the track reservation, but we cannot test with Jonny or Alex due to the rules. We only have one day available with them, and we decided to use this day on Wednesday. Because we were already here and working like this during the year, we’re going to use Florian as a test rider. He’ll test some ideas and check some items to see how they work, and then implement them with Jonny and Alex.

“At the same time, we’re using the opportunity with one day extra and one crew chief available. At Most, we spoke with Kawasaki Europe about giving Adrian a chance to test the bike as a gift for the good job he’s done and how he’s evolving. We’re curious about how he’s able to ride the WorldSBK bike. There are more teams aside from Kawasaki with the possibility to bring through young riders. This is more about giving him a gift and then, after that, we can decide in the Kawasaki family whether we can continue helping him to grow up as a rider.”

Huertas has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks inside the WorldSBK paddock, turning into a consistent challenger in WorldSSP in just over a season – including some time he spent recovering from a back injury sustained in Australia at the start of 2023. The test caps off a memorable couple of seasons for the #99 and he will be hoping he puts in a strong showing for Kawasaki as he looks to continue his climb through the paddock.

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After a mid-season break in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action, bikes return to the track at MotorLand Aragon on Tuesday and Wednesday for a two-day test. Swapping beaches for bikes, plenty of riders will travel to Spain for testing to get back up to speed ahead of the French Round in September. Four of the five factory teams will be present at Aragon, with each day split into two four-hour sessions for everyone to refine their packages.

Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will be alongside teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi. Ducati’s plan involves spending some time focusing on the upcoming Aragon Round as well as looking at some little details that the Italian manufacturer would like to test with a view to the future. It also gives the team a chance to refine their bike following two 250-rpm reductions in the 2023 season.

After a strong run of form towards the end of the first part of the season, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) will be full of confidence as he gets back on his Panigale V4 R machine at the test. The Italian is one of a handful of Independent Ducati riders at the test, with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) also opting to ride at the Spanish circuit.

Ducati will be joined by the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK outfit who, for the second time in two months, venture to Aragon for some hot-weather testing with their ZX-10RR. Both Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes will be at the circuit for the two-day test as they look to end what has been a challenging 2023 campaign on a strong footing to give them a boost heading into next season. KRT will be looking to confirm previously tested items, to ensure the direction is correct, while also looking at the future. Kawasaki will have a split programme at the test, with development rider Florian Marino and WorldSSP star Adrian Huertas riding on Tuesday before Rea and Lowes take over on Wednesday.Race riders Rea and Lowes only have one day of their allocated ten remaining, while Huertas will test WorldSBK machinery as a reward for his 2021 WorldSSP300 title success and his ever-improving WorldSSP performances and results since 2022.

While most riders have enjoyed a break, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge have been keeping busy. Between them, they’ve raced in MotoGP™ and the Suzuka 8 Hours since the Czech Round and their busy schedule has no signs of abating. Honda will be at the Aragon Test as they look to find their way back into podium contention, while it will give Vierge and Lecuona a chance to re-adapt to WorldSBK-spec machinery after their exploits in MotoGP™ and in Japan.

BMW will be the fourth manufacturer on track, with ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team duo Scott Redding and Michael van der Mark leading the German manufacturer’s testing programme. The two-day test gives the Dutchman a chance to get closer to full fitness after making his return at the Autodrom Most. BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers confirmed there’d be new items on the chassis during the test as the German manufacturer looks to become a regular podium contender. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) and teammate Loris Baz, fresh from their success with the team in the German championship, will also be at Aragon.

From WorldSSP, there will be plenty of riders taking to the track. Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) will be on his Panigale V2 as he looks to prepare for the final part of the season. PTR Triumph will take to the track too, having recently announced Ondrej Vostatek as their rider alongside Niki Tuuli for the final four rounds of 2023, while the most recent winners in WorldSSP, the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, will have Most Race 2 winner Tarran Mackenzie and Adam Norrodin at the test.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

With a two-day test at MotorLand Aragon resuming MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action after a well-deserved break, team managers at the four factory teams heading to Spain have revealed what they will be testing at the Spanish circuit. From preparing for the upcoming Aragon Round to looking at the future, there’s plenty to keep an eye on during the test which takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

“WE NEED TO WORK ON THE SETUP OF THE BIKE” – Ducati looking to refine their package

Ducati, particularly with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), have been the team and manufacturer to beat in 2023. The reigning Champion has 18 wins to his name already and will be looking to add to that as he goes in search of a second consecutive title, while teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi will be looking to finish the campaign on a high. The outing gives Ducati a chance to refine their package after having two 250-rpm reductions on the Panigale V4 R this season.

Explaining Ducati’s plan, Team Manager Serafino Foti said: “We reserved the track because it’s our track. Some other teams are coming. We need to work on the setup of the bike, because after the rpm was reduced, we need to adjust some things. We’ll work on this. As I said, we will be stronger than at the beginning of the season.”

“TRYING TO MAKE STEPS FOR THE FUTURE” – one eye on the present, one on the future for Kawasaki

Kawasaki have one win to their name in 2023 and will be looking to end the campaign on a high to give them a springboard into 2024. Their test programme is split across four riders, with Florian Marino and Adrian Huertas on track on Tuesday and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Alex Lowes riding on Wednesday. For the Japanese manufacturer, the test is a chance to focus on the end of 2023 while also looking ahead to 2024.

Discussing the team’s plan, Team Manager Guim Roda said: “It’s a middle of the year test, so it’s important as we’ll need to test many things during the year to confirm the direction of the past, whether we were right or not. At the same time, trying to make steps for the future to understand how we improve the package. It’s important and we’ll try to extract the maximum.”

“WE’LL HAVE SOME PARTS TO TEST AT ARAGON” – Honda aiming for improvements

Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) scored Honda’s sole podium of 2023 and that came in the second round of the season. This campaign has proven challenging for both Vierge and teammate Iker Lecuona, and Aragon will give the duo a chance to reset, try new items and, potentially, take a step forward. There will be new items for Honda to try on the CBR1000RR-R machine during the two days which, like Kawasaki, will be conducted with an eye to the future.

Team Manager Leon Camier explained: “We’ll have some parts to test at Aragon that will hopefully be used at the end of the year. So, let’s see what happens; when Japan brings the parts, hopefully we make progress, and we’ll go from there. It’s important that we make a step from there until the end of the year. Also, we know that these tracks that we’ve been at haven’t been ideal for us, they’re weak tracks for us at the minute. We have to take this into consideration, but we need to be fast at every track, it’s as simple as that.

“The parts that we bring now will determine what we bring for 2024. Each thing we bring, it changes again what we need from other parts of the bike. Each area of the bike, we need to improve, we’re working on this, and we understand this but it’s one step at a time; you can’t just put three things on a bike and expect it to work.”

“WE HOPE TO COME OUT OF THE BREAK WITH NEW GOODIES” – where will BMW be looking for gains?

BMW introduced a new M1000RR model for 2023 but results, so far, have been hard to come by. Their best result is fourth thanks to Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) on two occasions, while it’s been another injury-hit campaign for teammate Michael van der Mark. The M1000RR has become a regular contender in the top ten and the German manufacturer will be hoping the Aragon test provides a platform to secure podiums this season as well as into the future.

Expanding on their Aragon programme, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers said: “You can’t leave one stone unturned. You have to develop in every single area, so chassis, engine, electronics, aerodynamics… parts are very limited due to the regulations. We have gained super concessions so we hope to come out of the summer break with new goodies in terms of chassis, which will hopefully make the next step.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com