News

Another two-day private test for several WSBK teams at Jerez

Tuesday, 4 February 2014 15:31 GMT

Guintoli back in action, Scassa misses the first test of his returning year with Team Pedercini

With less than three weeks before the season opener at Phillip Island, several WSBK teams are about to get on track for a two-day test starting tomorrow at Circuito de Jerez. After last Saturday's official presentation in Barcelona, the 2013 eni FIM Superbike World Championship winning squad, the Kawasaki Racing Team, will show up at the Andalusian venue with WSBK duo of Tom Sykes and Loris Baz and EVO rider David Salom.

Reigning manufacturer champion Aprilia will return in full force with its factory team as Sylvain Guintoli will be back in action after a long absence, due to two surgical operations to his injured right shoulder. The Frenchman will shake some rust off and help new signing for Aprilia Racing Team Marco Melandri in developing the factory RSV4.

"The last time I ride my RSV4 was at the last 2013 race in Jerez" Guintoli told WorldSBK.com. "It's been a long road to recovery, more than 100 days without riding motorbikes. I missed the adrenalin and thrills. I can feel a very strong 'need for speed'."

Dutch-based Pata Honda squad will continue working on the new CBR1000RR SP with confirmed WSBK rider line-up of Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, who will be helped once again by test rider Michele Magnoni. Kawasaki privateer teams MRS and Pedercini Racing will perform their first test of the pre-season, with the French squad managed by former motorcycle racer Adrien Morillas and its sole rider for the season Jeremy Guarnoni to get a first real taste of the new challenge.

Team Pedercini Racing will field both WSBK and STK1000 riders at the test, with the exception of recent signing Luca Scassa.