Pirro to get second Ducati outing in Mugello MotoGP race
Michele Pirro will get his second MotoGP wildcard outing on Ducati's development bike this weekend at Mugello
The factory rider made the first of three such outings at Jerez in early May, where he finished 11th overall.
He also stood in for the injured Ben Spies in Ducati's satellite Pramac squad at Le Mans, finishing just behind reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo in eighth.
Pirro, whose final wildcard appearance will come at Misano in September, said he hoped to move closer to the sharp end of the field even if gathering data remains his priority.
"First of all, I'm very happy to be making my second wildcard ride, and I'd like to thank Ducati for this opportunity," Pirro said.
"At Le Mans I did my best to adapt to the standard GP13, which I find quite different from the development version that I'll be going back to this weekend.
"Mugello is close to Ducati's offices, and we've done a lot of testing there, so I'm ready for the race.
"I hope to be able to gather some good data for the team and to be closer to the top guys with my lap times. It would be to show that we're working in the right way with the bike."
Ducati appeared to make a step forward at Le Mans, although both riders stressed that conditions had played to the team's strengths.
Andrea Dovizioso started on the front row, led for eight laps and eventually finished fourth, with team-mate Nicky Hayden immediately down the road in fifth.
It also tested at Mugello earlier this month, which Nicky Hayden believes should benefit the team.
"Our bike was built around the circuit, so it works well there," he said. "The straightaway suits the Desmosedici because you come onto it so fast.
"We're not expecting miracles, but I think we can do well."
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About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Michele Pirro |
| Teams | Ducati Team , AB Motoracing |
| Author | Sam Tremayne |
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