The Alice♔ Team claims its satellite spec Desmosedici GP8s are now 'exactly the same' as those used by the factory Ducati team.

Whilst MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has won three of the nine races so far this season, and is currently enjoying excellent form, the three other Desmosedici riཧders have been strugglingꦦ to break into the top ten.

But Alice's Sylvain Guintoli has made clear progress in recent rounds and cemented his status as second best Ducati rider behind Stoner with eleventh during Fridꦓay free practice at the Sachsenring, after which his engineer Serg👍io Verbena revealed the exact nature of the technical updates.

"After the traction contꦚrol received in Donington and with the new variable intake trumpet tried here, now the bike is exactly the same as the offꦰicial team," Verbena declared. "The rider is really happy after this change and it's a pity about a mistake in the last turn otherwise he could have been much higher in today's classification."

Guintoli fi🍌nished the day 1.6secs behind Stoner, but was just 0.6secs from fourth fastest Valentino Rossi.

"The new updates we have just received has made the bike much more easy to ride. I feel 𝕴it much more responsive and this allows me to be more consistent in every lap," confirmed the Frenchman.

Team-mate Toni E🏅lias set the 13th fastest la🥂p time and was less pleased.

"I did my best lap time behind another rider and ꦚtherefore I can't be too satisfied," he admitted. "But I am trustful for the future: the bike has improved a lot thanks to the new updates and fꦏrom tomorrow I am sure we will be able to do much more. I am convinced about it and we will do our best, as always!"

It was announced on Thursday thaﷺt team principal L♒uis d'Antin had resigned from the Alice Team.

Meanwhile, Stoner's t💟eam-mate Marco Melandri was once again the slowest Desmosedici rider, in 16th position out of the 17 riders present.