A positive start at Motorland Aragon with strong second and fourth sectors

An encouraging and positive day 1 for Team Pata Go Eleven at Motorland Aragon. The focus was on race pace, riding 17-18 laps on both tyres in both the morning and afternoon sessions, without ever attempting a time attack. Sixth in the morning and ninth in the afternoon, Andrea took the maximum of his strengths in the second and fourth sectors. Track conditions today proved excellent, so much so that they were already riding faster than last year’s Friday.

In FP1, the team followed their work plan, testing the “raceable” solution, SC1 front and 125 rear tyres; lap times improved lap after lap, without any significant drops in performance on either the front or rear. A 1.49.453 was already over half a second faster than last year’s FP1. The top two, Toprak and Bulega, immediately showed great speed, but the rest of the field was very compact and within a few tenths of a second.

Free Practice 1: 
P 1    T. Razgatlioglu    1.48.385
P 2    N. Bulega  + 0.535
P 3    A. Bautista   + 1.001
…
P 6    A. Iannone   + 1.068

In FP2, number 29 tested the SC 2 front tyre, the hardest solution; the sensations were still positive, but he experienced less grip and lower performance. With the front tyre change, the benchmarks immediately dropped to the low 49, despite a very used rear. During the session, some changes were made to try to gain a few tenths, especially in the third sector. These changes led to an improvement, but there’s still something to find in that area.

Free Practice 2:
P 1   N. Bulega   1.48.736
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu  + 0.012
P 3   S. Lowes  + 0.261
…
P 9   A. Iannone   + 0.580

A day in line with expectations for Team Pata Go Eleven; the pace, considering that several competitors used new tyres towards the end, bodes well for the race. This evening, Andrea and the technicians will analyze the first and third sectors, where a couple of tenths of a second are left, with the aim of finding a solution for tomorrow.

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“We did a good job today, focusing on race pace. I pushed the tyres to race distance, achieving the best results at the end of the session, which gives me hope for the weekend. This year, it’s more difficult to keep the pace compared to the leaders, but we’ll still do everything we can to fight at the front. The gap is very narrow, we’re missing something in the third sector, but I know where we can improve, and I hope to make a step forward in that area of ​​MotorLand on Saturday!”

Positions lost in the first laps of race one, but excellent comeback in the second part to finish sixth

Sixth place in Race 1 for Andrea Iannone and Team Pata Go Eleven; a good performance, solid and consistent from the first to the last lap. It’s a shame about the time lost early in the battle with the Yamahas, because in the second half of the race, the #29 rider was consistently among the fastest on track.

Saturday proved encouraging from the morning, when Andrea Iannone kicked off the day with a sensational time in FP3: a 1:48.023, more than three tenths faster than the second-placed rider and stopping the clock just two tenths off the track record. In cool conditions, with the track temperature around 15 degrees Celsius, the Ducati V4R by Pata Go Eleven felt excellent in the rider’s hands.

Free Practice 3: 
P 1    A. Iannone   1.48.023
P 2    S. Lowes   + 0.328
P 3    N. Bulega   + 0.368

In Superpole, Andrea attempted two time attacks; in the first, he complained of a poor ride, finishing eleventh. Then, in the second, he squeezed the Pirelli 126 rear tyre, riding below 48 and finishing seventh. It’s a shame he lost a few tenths in the final sector, as it would have given him a row. Qualifying was a good one; the important thing is to start at the front.

Superpole:
P 1   N. Bulega  1.47.332
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu + 0.110
P 3   A. Lowes  + 0.159
…
P 7   A. Iannone   + 0.507

In the race, Andrea opted for the softer front tyre; the first lap was the one that affected the whole race. There, he found himself battling with the Yamahas of Gardner and Rea, taking six laps to regain the positions he’d lost. This opened up a two-second gap on Locatelli, who was closing a large leading group; Iannone hammered the low 49, closing the gap completely, being one of the fastest on the track. He attacked Locatelli, who was sixth, and also moved up on Alex Lowes but was unable to fight before the checkered flag. A solid score, a strong performance that boosted the whole team’s morale. Good job, but with the knowledge that the team could have fought a few positions further up the field. Bravo, Andrea, for not giving up and rejoining the group just outside the podium.

Race 1:
P 1   T. Razgatlioglu   32’51.237
P 2    N. Bulega  + 0.030
P 3    S. Lowes   + 0.977
…
P 6    A. Iannone   + 7.427

Tomorrow, we need to work on traction and speed on the straights, especially exiting corners, where the gap builds up. During the race, the third sector improved significantly, becoming one of the strengths. SP Race and Race 2 are two great opportunities to finish off a weekend that started off in the right mood!

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“It was a good race today at Aragon. We took home a sixth-place finish, close to the podium pack. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time early in the race battling with the Yamahas, compromising the final result. With a full tank, I couldn’t ride easily, but lap after lap, my feeling improved. I caught up with the leaders and was among the fastest on the track for several laps. We’re bringing home the points after an overall positive day, but for tomorrow I want to improve and find something, especially in terms of traction and on the straights, where we lose a few tenths. I was pleased to be back fighting near the leading group. Let’s work hard and try to make a step forward, because we’re not far from being at the front!”

Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager): 
“I’m happy with today’s result. We needed a good race, and that’s what we got. Sure, we could have fought further up the field, but Andrea never gave up and gained over two seconds on fourth place from mid-race onwards. The second and fourth sectors are real strengths, and lap after lap he found a few tenths even in the difficult areas. From lap ten onwards, he got close to the low 49s, a sign of great speed. For tomorrow, working with Ducati, we’ll try to find something more on the exit of the corners!”

A double fourth place and Best Independent Team for Sunday at Aragon

A nearly perfect Sunday for Pata Go Eleven Team and Andrea Iannone at Motorland Aragon; while the goal is certainly high, achieving better today would have been difficult, almost impossible, especially in the main race. A double P4, just off the podium, Best Independent at the end of Race 2, but above all, two great performances, with plenty of duels, overtaking, and constant improvement in the personal lap time.

During the warm-up, in cold conditions, a solution had been tested to help the Ducati V4-R turning. The results were positive, so much so that the configuration was kept for the races.

Warm Up:
P 1   S. Lowes   1.48.648
P 2   A. Bautista   + 0.183
P 3   T. Razgatlioglu   + 0.209
…
P 10   A. Iannone   + 0.854

The Superpole Race was the most intense and spectacular of the whole weekend, perhaps one of the best of the whole season. Toprak and Bulega battled consistently at the front for ten laps, with many riders managing to stay within a couple of seconds behind the duo. Andrea started aggressively, immediately managing to pass Petrucci and the Yamahas of Locatelli and Rea on the first lap, slipping into the slipstream of the Lowes twins. While Alex was caught on lap three, Sam had a strong pace and pulled away, together with number 29 behind him. The podium remained within reach, but the two independent Ducatis chasing Bautista never had a chance to attack; a few things were missing, and above all, the Spaniard showed great speed on the straight. On the final lap, Sam Lowes held off the opposition until the final sector, and Andrea dived into the final corner and complete a brilliant overtake! Fourth across the finish line, fourth on the grid for race 2, a second and a half from the win, and fastest lap of the race on the final lap: 1:48.533.

Superpole Race:
P 1   N. Bulega   18.09.560
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu   + 0.105
P 3   A. Bautista   +  0.703
P 4   A. Iannone   + 1.593

In Race 2, the weather changed slightly, with clouds coming over Motorland, lowering the track temperature. With a soft front tyre, Andrea got off to a perfect start, fgot close to  Alvaro, and overtook him entering Turn 5, one of the “Maniac’s” favourite spots. The Spaniard had a bit more speed, and keeping him behin in the early laps was crucial. On the third lap, he regained the position, pushing Andrea slightly wide, allowing Rea to also got him. Thus began a long chase of the Northern Irishman, while the top three showed a pace that was difficult to replicate. In the final three laps, Andrea maintained his pace in the 49.5s, attacking Johnny on the final corner. He took a small gap and finished fourth, Best Independent!

Race 2:
P 1   N. Bulega    32’42.828
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu  + 3.248
P 3   A. Bautista   + 4.973
P 4   A. Iannone   + 12.904

A more than positive weekend, a day that boosts morale and confidence ahead of the final races, with the goal of making up some more positions in the riders’ Championship. After so many difficult rounds, finally a strong performance from the whole team! Now the action shifts to the Estoril-Jerez double-header in two weeks; two tracks where #29 showed great potential last year!

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“Twice fourth today, it was an intense day, and I enjoyed battling on track in every race! In the morning, I took fourth place on the last lap, with a beautiful pass in the final corner. In Race 2, I battled with Johnny and managed to pass him, once again finishing just off the podium. It’s nice to end such a positive weekend, with so many points brought home and, above all, with the feeling of being competitive again. This morning, we were really close to the top two. Now we head to Estoril: I want to keep these good vibes. I thank everyone for the performances achieved here: Ducati, the team, my staff, and my fans.”

Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager): 
“Finally, a day where everything went right! All of us needed it, Andrea and our sponsors, too. The goal is to aim higher and get closer to the podium, but objectively it was difficult to do anything more here. In the Superpole Race we came within a second and a half of the victory, in race 2 Andrea tried to hold off Alvaro at the start of the race, but then he had more pace than us. Finishing both races with a comeback and two spectacular overtakes on the final corner is always a unique feeling. We want and care to finish the season strong and bring home more great results between Estoril and Jerez!”