News

With a full five days of testing at Jerez from Monday to Friday complete, WorldSBK teams were able to get a head start on the New Year before the entire grid partakes in Official preseason testing from January. Kawasaki Racing Team, Grillini Racing Team, Althea BMW Racing Team, Honda WorldSBK Team, Milwaukee Aprilia World Superbike Team, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati benefited this week, some teams for the whole week, others just with a couple of days of track time. With mixed conditions throughout the week, teams were able to test various 2017 parts and settings in different types of conditions the Jerez test gave everyone an all round work out.

Kawasaki Racing Team enjoyed four days of track time throughout the week, after sitting out day one in the rain. The team further developed their new Ninja ZX-10RR with Jonathan Rea consistently putting in the fastest times throughout the week. Rea worked on transmission improvements as well as with new tyres and completed a couple race simulations. With the fastest times this week, the Northern Irishman proved he’s very much at one with his new Kawasaki.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) had a contrasting week, after struggling on the first days. The Yorkshireman worked endlessly to alter his riding style for his new machine as well as comparing batteries from this season to the 2017 spec smaller batteries. He also worked on different base setups for next season as well as comparing and re-evaluating changes he’d implemented from the first test in Aragon a week ago.

Grillini Racing Team duo Ayrton Badovini and Ondrej Jezek only utilised Jerez on Monday and Tuesday. The pair mainly worked on Badovini’s bike, as well as using the time to get to know each other and find a comfortable working style within the team.

Althea BMW Racing Team had a solid two-day run on Monday and Tuesday, with Jordi Torres making huge comparisons using a new Fortis swingarm on his S 1000 RR. Markus Reiterberger mainly worked on base setups for the new season.

Stefan Bradl (Honda World Superbike Team) worked alone at the beginning of the week, after his Honda WorldSBK Team-mate Nicky Hayden had to rush home at the last minute with a knee injury days before the test. The German WorldSBK rookie continued on the development he’d started the week before in Aragon and was able to get a run in on Monday in the rain, gaining much needed tyre data in wet conditions.

With five bikes present at Jerez for the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team, the pair of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark spent the week testing new tanks, swingarms and seat units on top of other new elements to their YZR-R1’s. With it only being van der Mark´s second time out with the Yamaha team, it was an important week for the team to build up relationships as well as an understanding of the 2017 effort. Lowes was able to build on changes made throughout the season, in order to bring a stronger package with his fourth year for the team.

Milwaukee Aprilia made their full team debut at this week at Jerez with Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori getting their first taste of the RSV4 Superbike. Varied weather meant the pair were able to try the bike out in all types of conditions, and provided them with the opportunity to understand the whole package. Working on building up team spirit as well as the bike itself, it’s clear the British squad will be a force to be reckoned with in 2017.

At a circuit he dominated just months earlier, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) worked for the final three days on a new swingarm, as well as suspension setup, new electronics and new forks by Ohlins that will be on their 2017 bikes. Team-mate Marco Melandri shared the same testing plan, as he brings his mind-set back to being a full time racer. Both were able to set lap times close to Rea, who ended the days on top.

In a similar pattern to the start of the week, rain hampered the final days of testing action at Circuito de Jerez meaning little action was seen out on track. With not much data to be gained from a damp track, riders will now have to wait until January to make improvements to their 2017 projects.

Combined times from the weeks test:

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team): 1.38.721

Chaz Davies (Aruba It.Racing- Ducati): 1.39.116

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team): 1.39.461

Marco Melandri (Aruba It.Racing- Ducati): 1.39.694

Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse): 1.40.693

Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official Team): 1.40.985

Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia Team): 1.41.048

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Team): 1.41.328

Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia Team): 1.41.692

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Team): 1.41.830