In a private two-day test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in Italy, immediately after the Pata Riviera di Rimini Round, the ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati team have commenced testing once more. This time, it is all about fine tuning chassis and suspension set-ups, to refine the handling of the Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Having held the lead of the FIM Superbike World Championship right from Race 1 at Phillip Island, Alvaro Bautista’s lead over recent rounds has shrunk dramatically, from a high of 61 points to now just 16. Over recent years, Donington Park has not been the most favourable circuit for the Bologna-based manufacturer and with the British round up next, testing and track time will be of high importance.

Riders Alvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies had a mixed weekend at the Italian venue, with championship leader Bautista dropping a shed-load of points to arch rival Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) after another crash in Race 2. The Spaniard was leading the race when he tucked the front end of his Ducati at Turn 4, before remounting and finishing 14^th.

For Chaz Davies, it was a fifth position in Race 1, followed by a retirement in the Tissot Superpole Race and a seventh in Race 2; hardly his most productive of Misano weekends but points scored nonetheless. Davies has been consistently out-performed by his rookie teammate in 2019 but the Welshman will be hungry to put this test to good use and get back to the top and take a first race win in over a season.

Watch all the action from Donington Park with the WorldSBK VideoPass!