After just two days of WorldSBK testing at Aragon , Marco Melandri says he has found a good feeling with the Ducati Panigale with his Aruba Ducati team reporting only a four-tenth deficit in laptimes from team-mate Chaz Davies.

Melandri put in 118 laps of the Alcaniz circuit with a best of 1’50.8 as he got used to the bike and setup while also evaluating engine, chassis and electronics parts.

“It has been an emotional experience to step on the bike with the team colours and make my debut with the new crew. This two-day test turned out to be challenging and productive. I quickly found the feeling on the bike, and overall we’re not far from the front, especially in terms of pace. We still have room for improvement, which is normal at this stage, but we know what areas we must focus on,” said Melandri.

“We still struggle a bit under braking, despite having made huge strides today to this end, and I still have to make the most of my strengths as a rider. That said, I’m really pleased with the bike overall, both in terms of engine and chassis, and I’m also getting closer to an optimal shape physically. Surely, the trend has been positive throughout. In the next tests, we’ll try to define a few more upgrades, but we can start working on the details now.”