NICKY HAYDEN AT MUGELLO WITH DUCATI GP12 The work of the Ducati Corse Department continues without pause. Notwithstanding the current intense race schedule, both Ducati Marlboro Team riders are busy at a Mugello test this week to continue the development of the GP12, while the Test Team simultaneously continues its work on the GP11 with Franco Battaini. After riding with Battaini on Monday, Vittoriano Guareschi today once again donned his Team Manager hat to follow the work of Nicky Hayden and his team, along with Technical Director Filippo Preziosi. Valentino Rossi will take to the track tomorrow, during the last day of the test. “It was a positive day,” the American rider said at day’s end (83 laps), “even if the track conditions this morning weren’t great because of the rain last night. That caused us to get started a bit late, but we worked on the setup and some new changes that have been made to the GP12. I only started having better feeling after the lunch break, when the sun made the track conditions better. The new asphalt is definitely a big improvement, especially in some spots, like the two Arrabbiate corners, which are really fun now. I’m satisfied with the steps forward that have been made with the bike since the first time I tried it, at Jerez. Thanks to Filippo (Preziosi) for giving me the opportunity to ride it again.”