An uphill struggle as Spies heads to Qatar

For 2013, the American switches to Pramac after an unhappy season at Yamaha Factory Racing in which any fortune appeared to completely desert him. Compounding the year was a crash in Malaysia from which he is still recovering.

"We have learned that my shoulder’s actually improving quite a bit and I didn’t struggle with it, so I’m pleased with that and it’s a relief, but we’re still not where we want to be," Spies told motogp.com in blunt fashion.

"It’s not as bad as it looks but we definitely need to work really hard. We’re just kind of sitting on top of the bike and not doing much, so I just want to be able to feel what the bike is doing a little bit more. We know we’re still behind and will still be going into the first race, but that’s just the way it is and we’ll keep plugging away."

This season, the Italian outfit is fielding two riders as Spies is joined in the line-up by Italy’s Andrea Iannone, who makes the climb from Moto2™. Last year’s sole Pramac rider, Héctor Barberá, is now riding a CRT bike for Avintia Blusens.