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De Puniet Crashes 2 Times in Qatar, Escapes Unhurt

Randy de Puniet's switch from a MotoGP-spec Honda bike to a Ducati one doesn't seem to happen too smooth these days, or maybe he simply didn't experience his best testing day to date. The Frenchman recorded two falls, both in the exact same turn of the Losail International Circuit, during the first night of testing in Qatar this week.

De Puniet, who left LCR Honda at the end of last year to join Pramac Ducati, damaged two bikes during Monday's testing while approaching Turn 2 of the Qatari circuit. What's even worse however is that both crashes occurred in the early hours of the testing session, therefore affecting his track time on Day 1.

The only good news was that de Puniet escaped the crashes unhurt. Otherwise, he was limited to only 39 laps of testing on Monday, while ending the day with the 10th best time of the pack.

Let's say that this was not my luckiest day of testing,” said Puniet after the day was over, while trying to play down his two mistakes on Monday.

Because of two falls I lost almost two hours because both bikes were not useable. The first crash I expected because I was almost to the limit, while the second happened far too quickly, like as if I had put the wheels on oil.

However the most important thing is that I am physically okay and that I was able to step back on track in the last part of the session and I manage to improve my fastest lap time,” he added.

The Frenchman will have one more day of testing in the saddle of his Desmosedici GP11 this off-season, tomorrow, before the entire field gets ready for the season opening Qatar GP this weekend. Track conditions for this weekend's race will not change, as the 2011 opener will traditionally be held under artificial lights on Sunday night.
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