Hodgson tests for U.S.

Neil Hodgson completed his two-day test at Jerez on Friday December 17.

He was riding a Ducati Corse development bike, and was “dead happy” to be back on the 999.

Hodgson admitted that at first the bike felt slow after a season on the Ducati Desmosedici GP bike, but that after a handful of laps it all came back to him, especially as the Ducati felt very similar to his 2003 World Superbike Championship-winning machine.

Most of the test was spent testing Dunlop tyres. Over the course of 82 laps on the first day alone, every tyre in the range was tested, including some rubber new for 2005. Front tyres were sorted immediately, and by the end of the day, he’d also found some good rear tyres for the coming season.

The World Superbike team of James Toseland and Regis Laconi were also at the track alongside Ducati Corse test-rider Vittoriano Guareschi onthe GP Desmosedici. They were all there just to put in some laps before the Christmas break with Jerez not even featuring on the WSB calendar.