Sun goes down on MotorLand Aragon with Sykes on top
WorldSBK riders take to the MotorLand Aragon track for a final day at an Official Test
With more relaxed weather conditions greeting riders in Spain for the Official Test, riders took to the track for a full day of testing, hoping to work through issues encountered in the opening three rounds of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship.
Kawasaki Racing Team were hindered by illness for both their riders, however this did not slow the pair down and they ended the day on top, 0.168s ahead of the field rest of the field. Testing aspects on their bike which are difficult to look at throughout a race weekend, they focused on confidence with the ZX-10RR for the pair. Putting in 70 laps in total, Tom Sykes set a lap time of 1.49.386 to put him on top, 0.020s ahead of his team-mates Jonathan Rea.
With a big list of items to test, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) didn’t have much chance to celebrate his first race win of the season. Himself and his team-mate Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) spent the day working through electronics, engine set-up as well as chassis feeling. However the team suffered a blow in the morning session as Melandri suffered a crash, which saw him be forced to sit out of the rest of the day. Davies was then out alone on track and completed nearly 100 laps of the Spanish circuit, ending the day in third overall.
Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) ended in sixth position, as he spent his day around MotorLand working with his gearing, as well as comparing chassis’ on board his YZF-R1. Alongside his team-mate Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), who put in a strong top four performance at MotorLand with a lap time of 1.50.074, the pair worked with some solutions to their electronics issues, on top of working with their suspension.
Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) appeared to make some improvements with his RSV4 RF, as the Irishman made it into the top five following a steady start to the season back with the Italian manufacturer. Working on the general feeling of the bike overall, he will take away the steps made today into Assen, with a time of 1.50.306.
Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team have a mountain to climb following the start of the season, and following another steady weekend at the Pirelli Aragon Round spent the test working on their rear tyre and anti-wheelie control. Putting in a long stint at the end of the day, they both ended in the top ten. Stefan Bradl’s time put him in seventh – a 1.50.886 – whilst Nicky Hayden ended in ninth overall.
Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) spent the day at his home circuit without the backing of his home fans, but working through different chassis solutions as well as electronics development. Securing a top eight position, the Catalan rider had a strong day out on track, as he shared the testing duties with Markus Reiterberger (Althea BMW Racing Team), who put in the 16th fastest time.
Hoping to put some serious issues behind him, Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) worked his way through the day in a methodical way, looking at many small aspects of his Italian machine. Working through them all in short two lap stints, the British rider put in 73 laps around MotorLand, with an overall lap time of 1.51.047.
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