Andrea Iannone pulled out of the Motegi race on the previous Sunday, causing an urgent Ducati reshuffle, and handing a chance in a million to 2015 ASBK champion Michael Jones. With the usual sub, factory tester Michele Pirro, engaged in development of next year’s Desmosedici, the factory team hauled in top independent Ducati rider Héctor Barberá, to ride the GP16 for the first time. This left a vacancy at his Avintia team, filled at short order by Jones, who managed to snatch some practice on a road-going Desmosedici before arriving the night before practice.
Both acquitted themselves well in qualifying, with Barberá making it into Q2 to place eighth on the grid.
Jones, who admitted he was still “pinching himself” to share the track with the MotoGP greats, may have achieved even more. Learning the bike, tyres, carbon brakes and the track, he qualified 21st, one place ahead of Honda veteran Hiroshi Aoyama. Even more impressively he slashed almost six seconds off his lap time from the first session until qualifying. He was only 0.13 of a second slower than teammate Loris Baz.
“It’s been quite an eye opener,” he said. “Everything is different from what I’m used to. It’s quite difficult, but I couldn’t be happier.”
Jones was supported at Motegi by compatriot, MotoGP race winner and WSBK champion Troy Bayliss.
