This upcoming Thursday and Friday, Ducati riders will be back on track at the Mugello circuit for a private test to prepare for the Catalunya GP in two weeks time.
Besides the contracted riders and Michele Pirro who will be filling in for Pramac’s Ben Spies for the next few races, Italian website GPOne.
com is reporting that Max Biaggi will also testing with the team and riding a Pramac Ducati thanks to Paolo Campinoti.
The retired MotoGP rider and six-time world champion hasn’t been on prototype since the end of 2005 and has never rode on Bridgestone tires, but apparently his trip to Mugello on Sunday to watch friend Jorge Lorenzo ride to victory payed off in more ways than one.
Biaggi has been itching to get back on a bike since he retired last year and became a Superbike commentator for Sportmediaset.
The Roman Emperor was not only linked to a wildcard ride at Monza, but Ducati Alstare owner Francis Batta tried to get him become test rider for the 1199 Panigale, but that was apparently was shot down by the bigwigs in Ducati, to the dismay of the Belgium manager.
Back in April of 2008, Ducati wanted Troy Bayliss Max Biaggi to test and give their feedback on the GP8 when Marco Melandri was having his problems with the 800cc machine, but both riders turned down the invitation wanting to concentrate on their own Superbike championship and then they had retired Sete Gibernau to test the machine – which prompted the Spaniard to make an ill-fated comeback the next year that lasted just six rounds (he skipped two because of collarbone injury) until his Grupo Francisco Hernando team decided to pull out.
Biaggi’s Ducati test has gotten half of Italy salivating over the thought and the wish of his comeback, and you can expect several camera crews and photographers to immortalize the test for posterity, along with stop watches to see how the Black Corsair fares on lap times.