Access Plus Racing-Ducati Philippines-Essenza is again racing the flag in the Asia Road Racing Championship’s (ARRC) top category as the series heads to the Buriram International Circuit later this month. This time, both Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto and Jonathan Serrapica will be hoping to convert the team’s pace into strong finishes during the ASB1000’s third event in Thailand.
A lot has happened since the last race at The Bend Motorsport Park. The team continued its development on their Panigale V4R and tuned the bike setup to suit Buriram’s 4.554 km layout. With its potent 998cc 90° V4 engine, both Ducatis should also have an advantage on Thailand’s Grade 1 circuit’s high speed corners and long straights, helping both riders bring the fight to the front runners. Further work was focused on honing Alberto and Serrapica’s riding style so they can confidently push the Italian superbike to its full potential.
Overall, the team’s outlook for the upcoming race weekend is very positive following improvements it gained in Australia. TJ Alberto is now 10th overall in the ASB1000 championship while Jonathan Serrapica holds onto 13th spot on the standings.
Practice will begin on May 31 (Friday) followed by Qualifying and the first of two 13-lap Races on June 1 (Saturday). Race 2 takes place on June 2 (Sunday) at 3:45 PM local time.
TJ Alberto, #77 Ducati: “The past few rounds have helped us clearly understand what is needed from the bike, technicians, and riders to perform at their best. We were on the opposite end of the spectrum during the first round in Sepang and we have been learning after each race. I’m confident that the bike is at its best as of now and all that’s needed is for us to get on and give it our best shot in Thailand.”
Johnathan Serrapica #48 Ducati: ”There’s a lot of changes to my body position for Thailand in order to make me feel more comfortable, therefore adding stability to the bike. I want to get a good start and stay as close to my teammate as possible, making the most of the fast straights in Thailand. We’ll be experimenting on being faster and more consistent for this round.”
Toti Alberto, Team Principal: “We’ve made strides as a team over the last few months. We now better understand the new Panigale V4R which we just received from Ducati Corsa right before the season began in Malaysia. Our progress so far have already allowed TJ and Jonathan to challenge for points and we’re looking forward to further improve on our results in Thailand.”
Team Access Plus Racing-Ducati Philippines-Essenza is sponsored by Access Plus Group, Ducati Philippines, Essenza, AELLA, Dickies Philippines, Öhlins Philippines, Century Hotel Angeles City, LV8, and Pradera Verde.
