The Aruba.it Racing–Ducati team stepped on the top of the podium again with Chaz Davies in Aragon, Spain, where the Panigale R took its maiden WorldSBK win. Starting from fourth position, the Welshman quickly pulled away from the field after posting a best lap of 1:50.421 (the new track record) in the early phases, seizing the victory with a four-second advantage over his closest opponents.
Davide Giugliano also gave a gritty performance after qualifying in sixth position. Despite a few setup issues, the Italian fought for the virtual podium at length, taking fifth place across the finish line ahead of the Race Two.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – 1st
“In the beginning it wasn’t easy to fight in the group, but I gradually managed to climb back through the field and take the lead. Then, I simply tried to establish my own rhythm, progressively building a gap. I’m very happy, we’ve made a clear step forward in terms of power, for which I want to thank Ducati for the constant efforts to push development forward. We’ve been close to winning a few times already this year, and now we need to stay on this course. We can still improve before Race Two tomorrow.”
Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #34) – 5th
“Unfortunately, so far I’ve struggled more than I expected here in Aragon. It wasn’t an easy race, but the good thing is that we fought until the end, collecting a fifth place. It’s not the result I’m aiming for, but we still collected important points for the championship and have time to make adjustments and do better in Race Two. The technical upgrades brought here by Ducati are a further source of motivation, and I’m sure that we’ll manage to take full advantage of them.”
