Pramac pair place above factory duo

For the first time since last year’s French Grand Prix, Ducati’s satellite riders both bested the factory lineup at Donington Park on Sunday afternoon. Niccolò Canepa and Mika Kallio made the opposite decision to Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden when it came to tyre choice for the ‘wet’ race, running slick tyres and putting the pair into the top ten together for the first time this season.

Canepa was the best placing Ducati rider in the complicated race, taking his Pramac Racing Desmosedici GP9 to a career high of eighth. It was also his hardest outing to date in the premier class.

“At one point it was difficult just to stay upright, and I didn’t have the advantage that the other riders had in terms of experience. You need to have a lot of patience and sensitivity with the bike in these conditions,” said the Italian rookie, although teammate Kallio was less pleased with tenth place.

“I’m not very happy, because I expected more from this race,” lamented the Finn, who came in to the pits to change bikes in a move that he later regretted.

“I was fighting for sixth before heavier rain came down, but as soon as I switched machines it became less intense and I couldn’t do times like my first one on slick tyres.”

Kallio will undergo further surgery on his injured finger this Tuesday, following which both riders will rest up ahead of the next round of the series at Brno.