First outing for Gibernau

From Marlboro Ducati

A three-day session for the Ducati Test Team began Tuesday at Mugello, where factory test rider Vittoriano Guareschi was joined for the first time by Sete Gibernau.

Gibernau clocked up 20 laps with the Desmosedici GP9, recording a best time of 1:53.7 before the session was interrupted by rain. Despite a long absence from the sport and the opportunity to complete only a handful of laps, the Spaniard's first contact with the GP9 was a positive one.

"It has been a really exciting day," commented Gibernau. "It's like jumping back in time almost two years - as if the months that have gone by since the last time I was on track never even existed. Racing motorcycles was my whole life for so many years and now I've rediscovered that feeling I feel really good, like I'm home again.

"The instinct for riding came back straight away, even though I obviously need to get back into the habit of going fast. I've realized how tiring it is to grab the brakes and move the bike around where I want it but I'm sure that's just the rust from not riding for so long.

"It [the GP9] is a Ducati in every way - precise but demanding, it requires a physical riding style and it instantly reminded me of the GP7 I tested at Motegi towards the end of 2006. As well as getting my confidence to ride back, today we did a little bit of work on the electronics, in particular the engine braking, because I prefer a different calibration to Vittoriano."