Having finished the first day of his Ducati test with a lap time of 1min 52.8sec, 250GP star Mattia Pasini got down to a 1min 51.9sec on the third and final day at Mugello.
Riding a GP9 for only the second time after a single-day outing with the satellite Pramac squad at the post-Brno test, Pasini also experienced his first
MotoGP falls with a tumble on day two and day three.
The 24-year-old, a winner of eight 125 and two 250 grands prix, was left with a sore neck after his second spill - and felt he could have gone one second faster.
“It was really a great and positive experience and I think I could have recorded a faster personal best,” said Pasini, presently fifth in the 250cc World Championship for Team Toth Aprilia.
“Unfortunately I fell this morning at the 'Correntaio', having made a strong start to the day with a good feeling due to the changes we had made towards the end of yesterday's session.
“The changes made a difference as today I immediately went a second faster in the first exit. I didn't injure myself too badly but hurt my neck which perhaps affected my riding; I think that otherwise I would have been able to drop another second before the end of the day.
“Anyway, I repeat that it has been a fantastic experience and I thank Ducati and the team who have looked after me during these three days. We will see each other again at Estoril next week,” he added, with reference to the forthcoming Portuguese Grand Prix.
Official Ducati test rider Vittoriano Guareschi, who was testing different updates for 2010, set a best lap time of 1min 51.7sec before he too fell, concluding his session.
For comparison, the fastest race lap in the (wet/dry) 2009 Italian Grand Prix on May 31 was a 1min 51.186sec, set by Fiat Yamaha's
Valentino Rossi. The fastest Ducati lap in (dry) free practice was a 1min 49.323sec set by eventual race winner
Casey Stoner. The slowest was
Nicky Hayden with a 1min 52.108sec.
