Former World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes lead the way on day one of testing at Jerez, lapping just over a tenth faster than title rival Chaz Davies while reigning champion Jonathan Rea ended third three-tenths off the pace.
Sykes set a 1’40.882 on his 43rd lap of 51, six-tenths slower than his own pole position time from last year at the Spanish circuit while Davies, on the factory Aruba Ducati, did a 1’41.041 while Rea’s best was a 1’41.210.
Nicky Hayden, who is making his second visit to Jerez on the Ten Kate Honda, took fourth spot with a 1’41.371 which he set on his 50th lap of 66 while Alex Lowes picked himself up from a small crash at turn six to grab fifth place, six-tenths in arrears.
Davies’ team-mate Davide Giugliano was sixth on a 1’41.792 with Michael Van Der Mark, Xavier Fores and Sylvain Guintoli next along. Leon Camier hauled the MV Agusta into tenth place with a 1’42.896.
Josh Brookes made his debut on the Milwaukee BMW and despite losing a chunk of track time with an electrical problem in the afternoon, managed a 1’43.293.
James Ellison posted a late 1'43s lap while Leon Haslam and Peter Hickman did not fit a transponder but were in the same bracket on their BSB-spec JG Speedfit Kawasakis.
