Ducati and Yamaha headline two-day WorldSBK Aragon test

Following the only Official WorldSBK pre-season test in Barcelona two weeks ago, several riders will be in action over the next two days as preparations continue for the 2021 season opener. 

There will be five Ducati V4 R Panigale bikes on track at MotorLand Aragon, with 2020 title runner-up Scott Redding, Michael Ruben-Rinaldi, Chaz Davies, Axel Bassani and Tito Rabat all in action. 

Redding was Ducati’s fastest rider at the supported test in Catalunya and second only to six-time World Superbike Champion Jonathan Rea. 

It was also the first track action of the year for Redding's former team-mate Davies, who made his debut for the GoEleven Ducati team after recovering from a positive Covid-19 test.

Pata Yamaha will also be in attendance with rookie Andrea Locatelli leading the team, as Toprak Razgatlioglu remains sidelined by Covid-19. 

This means YART Yamaha World Endurance rider Nicolo Canepa will stand-in for Razgatlioglu. 

@NickCanepa59 will stand in for @toprak_tr54 at the @AragonMotorLand #WorldSBK test, focusing on further development work with Yamaha’s race engineers.#YamahaRacing | #WeR1 pic.twitter.com/bmIsGz4c2m

— Yamaha Racing (@yamaharacingcom) April 11, 2021

GRT Yamaha will join the factory team on track with Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane both taking part. 

Gerloff was one of the standout performers during the Barcelona test as he finished third overall. 

It will be another important test for team-mate Nozane, who will be looking to continue his adaptation to Superbike machinery following his pre-season MotoGP outing in Qatar last month. 

Christophe Ponsson is the final WorldSBK rider that will be in action, while both GMT94 Yamaha riders Jules Cluzel and Federico Caricasulo will also continue their WorldSSP preparations. 

These two days will be valuable ones for all the riders involved, as the 2021 season opener will take place at the same venue on May 21-23.