Pull&Bear Aspar Team sign off from the year with Jerez test

Álvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham end 2016 action in positive mood: the Spanish has been fastest and the Abraham has finished only eight tenths behind

Track action for 2016 finally came to an end for the Pull&Bear Aspar Team today after a two-day test at Jerez with Álvaro Bautista and Karel Abraham. Cool autumn temperatures dictated the pace at the test, as both riders continued their adaptation to the team and their new bikes. The next action for the Pull&Bear Aspar riders will be the Sepang (Malaysia) test on 30th January 2017.

Álvaro Bautista has been the fastest MotoGP rider on track after completing a total of 123 laps over the two days. On the first day, he was just 0.248 seconds off the best time of the day with an effort of 1’39.832, the fastest of his 52 laps. Today he improved by almost a second, stopping the clock at 1’38.945 after 71 laps.

Meanwhile his team-mate Karel Abraham started the test with a 1’40.484 on what was his second day aboard the Ducati GP15, having previously ridden it at Valencia. The Czech rider completed 59 laps on Wednesday and 56 more today, with a best time of 1’39.776, seven tenths faster than the first day and only one second shy of Jorge Lorenzo’s circuit record lap.

Jorge Martínez “Aspar”: “We took an important step forward with both riders at Jerez, not just in terms of their lap time, which is always nice to see, but also and more importantly their race pace. They are both able to do a lot of laps on the same tyre and maintain a good pace compared to the race here earlier this year. Race pace is what makes the result in the end and it is what we suffered with most this season. I think we have moved forward with the set-up and the electronics and even though it is early to say because we are just getting to know the new bike and new riders, the results after four days of tests have been good. There is a long way to go but we have found a good base and I am really happy with the way both Bautista and Abraham are riding. They are fast and consistent; they are happy with their bikes and confident in their potential for next season. If we keep going like this I think we can have a good season next year. It is a nice way to sign off from this year and we are looking forward to getting started again in Malaysia.”