Best rookie result and top ten for Barberá at Le Mans

Héctor Barberá’s Monster Energy Grand Prix de France weekend ended with a superb reward for the Spanish rider, who rose from 15th position on the starting grid to finish the race in an impressive eighth place.

The result made the Páginas Amarillas Aspar rider the highest placed rookie in the race, and displayed both his determination and desire. Barberá did not get off to the best of starts but slowly worked his way up to tenth position midway through the race, and a moment with Hiroshi Aoyama failed to halt his progress as he eventually crossed the line in eight place.

"I am very happy and think that the post-Grand Prix Test that we did at Jerez was very important for us,” said Barberá after his best premier class result to date. “We found a few adjustments that have really worked out. The team worked very well this weekend; despite us losing our way a little, they prepared a very good bike for the race. I was second-to-last on the grid, and my thinking was that only one rider could overtake me and I had nothing to lose. With this idea in mind, the goal was to enjoy the race - something that I hadn't yet been able to do.”

He continued: “I discovered early on that the left-handers were difficult for me, as the tyres didn't have a chance to get up to temperature on that side. I started to get more confident as the laps progressed, although when I had a light coming together with Aoyama I lost a few positions. Then I made another fight back and got up to eighth.”

Barberá, the second Ducati over the line in the race after Nicky Hayden, is now tenth in the standings, just a point behind fellow rookie Marco Simoncelli as a fascinating battle unfolds amongst the newcomers.

“I am aware that my over-exuberance in the first two races stopped me from doing well, but the goal for this race was to not lose touch of the group ahead. I achieved this and for that reason I can be happy,” he concluded.