Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider Chaz Davies ended the first sessions in Sepang in P8 on the timesheets, fresh from his double win at Imola. With a new track surface at Sepang International Circuit, the first day on track had some surprises in store. Lap after lap, however, the overall performance progressively improved and Davies managed to take about 2.5 seconds off between FP1 and FP2.

Ducati focused on the chassis to adapt the Panigale R to the new surface and especially the modified cambers in different corners, but also evaluated several compounds brought by Pirelli for the Round. The Welshman will be looking to move forward in Tissot-Superpole and then, Race 1.

“Today the track conditions were difficult,” said Davies. “The new surface represents a challenge for everyone. At first there was hardly any grip and it was not easy to spot the areas that stay wet, but we’re also still just finding our way. We simply need to work on the bike and improve the setting, especially to make it turn better. We have a couple of reasonably good ideas, which have worked in the past, so we’re going to make some changes and see how it plays out tomorrow. We’ve been quite consistent today, but tyre wear remains a crucial variable and we’ll need find the optimal compromise to make sure we are competitive from beginning to end.”

Last year Davies was beaten in Race 1 before pulling a spectacular last corner overtake on Jonathan Rea in Race 2 to take the victory and deny his rival the chance to take the title in Sepang.