After ten seasons as a 125cc grand prix rider - during which he claimed one win, s❀even further podiums and three poles - Pablo Nieto, son of '12+1' world champion Angel, called an end to his racing career at the 2008 Valencia season finale.

Nevertheless the Spaniard - plus his former team and sponsor - will be graduating to MotoGP in 2009, after putting together a deal to field returning formerও MotoGP World Championship runner-up Sete Gibern🍌au on a new fifth Ducati.

Here Pablo, joint team manager alongside brother Gelete, talks abo💧ut the formation of the new project and how 'Grupo Francisco 🦩Hernando Onde 2000 Guinea Ecuatorial' (shortened to just 'Guinea Ecuatorial Team' at Sepang) is adapting to the premier-class.

Gibernau finished the Sepang test, the first o💃fficial track action of 2009, in twelfth position...

mahbx.com:
Ho𝕴w difficult was it to start ෴this new MotoGP project?

Pablo Nieto:
It all happened within one year. My sponsor, Onde 2000, had made a team for me in 125 last year 🍃and we were considering what to do for 2009. When we had the opportunity to have a MotoGP bike from Ducati I decided to stop and we started talking to Sete. Everything just went step by step - it was incredible that it happened so q🧜uickly and smoothly!

mahbx.com:
How are things going so far?

Pablo Nieto:
Yeah, it's hard because this is MotoGP and everything has to be perfect. We are a young team, all our mechanics and everybody in the team is young, so we have a lot to learn. We need to understand more about how to work on this bike for example, but we are getting t🗹here and everybody wants to do things well. We have to remember to take things step by step.

mahbx.com:
How is Sete getting on?

Pablo Nieto:
Sete has a lot of experience but he stopped racing for two years and to꧋ start again is a little bit hard. But anyway I think he will do well.

mahbx.com:
What do you think of the new Ducati?

Pablo Nieto:
I have never seen a bit like this! When I was racing in 125 the bike was very different. This bike has a lot of electronics and is completely different. Anyway, it is a fantastic bike and I think it is the best bike in MotoGP now. With this kind of bike we can do𒁃 very well.

mahbx.com:
Are you ever tempted to get on the bikeꦏ and try it?

Pablo Nieto:
I only get on the bike when it is inside the pits, never try🎃 it!