Melandri: "My Head is Thinking Like a Rider Now, Not Like I’m Retired Anymore"
The Italian honestly evaluates his progress so far
This week’s test schedule in Jerez for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati marks the fourth time Marco Melandri has had the chance to get acquainted with his Ducati Panigale, before he suits up for Race 1 in February at Phillip Island. But testing hasn’t been all smooth sailing for the Italian rider until now and with rain forecast for the final day of track time today, he admits there’s still a lot of work to do.
“I think many riders are pretty fast on the new tyres and for me it’s a weak point, so I have to work a bit more to try to find a good setup with the bike to use the extra bit of the new tyre,” acknowledges Melandri. “I’m working now on race pace and it looks not so bad, so I’m pretty happy about that. Still we have to try something new on the bike for 2017. Then in January I want to have a long run with a race simulation to just understand what I have to work on a bit more and where I’m okay.
“It has been a good testing for me and day-by-day, I’m feeling better on my Ducati Panigale, so I’m really looking forward to the first round in February but we still have some work to do.”
The Italian had his first outing on the Ducati back in the summer at Misano and then again in Valencia not long after. But spending a year ‘retired’ and not riding has proven a challenge that Melandri has made an effort of to overcome. With another two days of testing this week under his belt, he reveals that he’s back to feeling more like his old self.
“At the beginning, was a bit tough even though I’ve been working and training all the season, because riding the bike is different but now is becoming more automatic,” explains Melandri. “So my head is thinking like a rider now, not like I’m retired anymore. It’s good. I think it’s not going to be easy in the first race in the middle of the other guys, but once I have a good feeling with the bike then it will be okay.”
Melandri knows that his toughest rival sits just opposite him in the garage. With Chaz Davies dominating the end of the 2016 season, the Italian knows the Welshman is not the same rider that he was when they were teammates previously at BMW three years ago, but he looks forward to the challenge.
“There were good times with Chaz together on BMW, but now I think after three years he has such a good feeling on the bike and with the team,” said Melandri. “So for sure he’s the best guy on the Ducati and for sure it wont be easy to fight with him. But I’m looking forward to it.”
