Rossi Direct Focus Test at Sepang

Valentino Rossi immediately devote his attention to a crucial test facing the 2012 season in Sepang, Malaysia, in January. He wants to continue work to develop the Ducati GP12, which has not been too up in the inaugural appearance for two days testing in Valencia.

If still slower one second or more in February, then after that you will be very difficult to catch during a season. We have made a step forward now.
- Valentino Rossi

In the test at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Tuesday and Wednesday earlier this week, have not been able to beat Rossi Repsol Honda team's dominance. He also left behind more than 1.5 seconds from Dani Pedrosa, who became the fastest in two days of tests.

However, such a trial was signaled Ducati have made little progress. Rossi has tried to order a new twin aluminum pole, which becomes a solution to overcome the problem of front-end, and difficulty controlling the steering motor, which is a scourge in its inaugural season with the team is based in Bologna.

Indeed, Rossi's debut with Ducati is very bad. During the 2011 season 18 series, he had only one podium finishes at Le Mans, and never win. A worst outcome in the course of his career as a rider.

However, for the 2012 season, Rossi and Ducati already started preparations and they are quite optimistic. However, "The Doctor" have not been able to keep pace Pedrosa and Casey Stoner, who still dominate over the two days of testing at Valencia.

The best time record 32-year-old rider was 1 minute 33.332 seconds, and is ranked sixth. He's still about 1.525 seconds slower than Pedrosa, who makes the best time of 1 minute 31.807 seconds, with the new RC213V Honda engine.

According to Rossi, the question of when entering the curve continued to be a constraint. In fact, they already use conventional chassis.

"With this bike, you can push even more strongly at the front, and this is what I felt at first touch 1,000 cc engine in Jerez," said nine-time world champion in the grand prix.

"For some reason you can be more encouraged, and along with a better engine, will give a better motor. But to me, our problems are not from the chassis."

"The problem is not on the material or if the machine is an important part of the chassis. It's something else such as weight distribution as between aluminum and carbon is not much difference."

Rossi said the test Ducati development will take place at Sepang, on 31 January. MotoGP world champion seven times this hope, on that occasion he was able to try a more heavily modified GP12, so not too far adrift from Honda.

"Honda's amazing, but we must get to him. Now is a crucial moment to February. We have several different things to be taken during the test in February, and it will all be crucial."

"If there is still one second slower or more in February, then after that you will be very difficult to catch during a season. We have to make a step forward now."