After his recent laps of Silverstone, Valentino Rossi was back on a Ducati in Italy to test the GP12 machine at Mugello.

This is the third test on the GP12 machinery for the factory Ducati team (Rossi and Hayden did a day each in Jerez earlier in the year), and Rossi and Filippo Prezioso felt that it was a “positive” test for the team.

Rossi did 60 laps in the session, and then work was continued by a test rider.

Mugello has recently been resurfaced, so Rossi was able to get a head-start on understanding the new surface before he returns in a few weeks for the 2011 Mugello MotoGP – when the excitement and expectation of the Italian fans will be more rabid than usual as Rossi races in Italy on Italian bike.

Valentino Rossi:
“I’m pleased, because it was a positive test. We took full advantage of the time we had, because the track and weather conditions were perfect. I liked the new asphalt a lot. The surface is smooth, those holes that I knew so well are now gone, and the grip is fantastic. I must say they’ve done a great job, because if it’s possible, riding here at Mugello is now even better than before. I’m happy to have come back here to test after my injury last year, because it was a nice feeling and a good day. We started around 11:00 this morning, and we completed sixty laps in all—many kilometers without any problems, either physical or with the GP12. We tested everything that Filippo had planned to try, and we’re satisfied because, although we’re still at a pretty early stage, we’re going in the right direction.”

Filippo Prezioso
“We completed our second day of testing the GP12 with Vale. I must say it’s a strange sensation, but also a really nice one, to be here at Mugello with Valentino, on a track where we’ve been rivals so many times in the past. We worked on the electronics and various other updates to next season’s bike, some of which were made following the requests that Vale and Nicky had given us during their first outing with the bike about a month ago at Jerez. It was a useful and positive test that will enable us to continue with the development of the GP12, which has some new details coming soon. Working with Valentino is always very nice from a technical perspective, and we were lucky with the weather, as we had perfect conditions. Vale also really appreciated the new asphalt: we have to compliment the folks at Mugello, because they really did a great job.”

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