The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team ready for the final rush: Davies and Melandri ready for the penultimate round at Jerez

With two rounds and four races left, the 2017 WorldSBK Championship has reached its final stages and the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team is keen to go on the offensive, starting from this weekend at Jerez. The track located in the South of Spain is a “second home” to the team as many winter tests are held there, as well as a riders’ favourite.

Chaz Davies – well within contention for the runner-up title, 9 points away from second position – took three wins (and five podiums overall) at Jerez with Ducati, including a spectacular double last year. Marco Melandri – who scored 11 podiums in 22 races so far with the Panigale R – also did the double in 2014, adding to a second place scored the year before.

With two rounds to go, Davies (327 points) and Melandri (281 points) are respectively third and fourth in the championship. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will resume action Friday at 09:45 (CET) for the first free-practice session.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7)

“We had good results at Jerez. I feel our package has worked quite well there in the past couple of years, especially in terms of tire wear. In the past, it was tricky to preserve the rear and get the best feeling with the front, especially in the heat. The track has been resurfaced anyway, so that will be the first thing to understand. Usually this changes things quite a lot, so that shall be interesting because we spent so many years riding the same tarmac and basically getting used to it. We’ll start from the setup we used in the last races, and adapt it to what we find out about Jerez. The goal is to have another solid weekend and come home with as many points as possible”.

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #33)

“Jerez has always been one of my favourite tracks, and for sure it’s where I clocked more kilometers with the Panigale R. The resurfacing has been somewhat of a surprise for me, because the tarmac was already among the best in the calendar. This will mix things up further, and I can’t wait to ride and find out how it has changed. In the past, temperatures had a key role in the overall performance, as the heat slowed the track down and you had to focus on tire preservation rather than pure speed. Now we could find more grip, similar to what we have during winter tests. We made more steps forward at Magny Cours, despite missing a big chance on Sunday. I feel this is a good time for us to reap the best fruits of our labor.”

Circuit information

Country: Spain

Name: Circuito de Jerez

Length: 4.423 km

Corners: 13 (5 left, 8 right)

Pole position: left

Race distance: 20 laps/88.460 km

RECORDS

Fastest lap: Sykes (Kawasaki), 1:39.190 (160,528 km/h) – 2016

Circuit record: Rea (Kawasaki), 1:41.136 (157,440 km/h) – 2016

Superpole: Sykes (Kawasaki), 1:39.190 (160,528 km/h) – 2016

2016 RESULTS

Race 1: Davies (Ducati), Sykes (Kawasaki), Rea (Kawasaki)

Race 2: Davies (Ducati), Rea (Kawasaki), Sykes (Kawasaki)