Former World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes has laid down his marker on the first day of testing at a rain-hit Phillip Island, heading team-mate and current number one plate holder Jonathan Rea by almost two-tenths of a second with Dutch youngster Michael Van Der Mark in third place.
Sykes put in a 1’31.097 in the afternoon session to go under Rea’s pole lap from last year and is only a tenth slower than Chaz Davies’ outright fastest lap set in 2014. Rea’s best was 1’31.293 also set in the afternoon while Van Der Mark, on the Ten Kate Honda, set his 1’31.510 to lead the morning session.
Jordi Torres put his Althea BMW in fourth place with a 1’31.526, just ahead of former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden in fifth with Sylvain Guintoli in sixth on a 1’31.583. Pata Yamaha team-mate Alex Lowes ended the day in seventh on a 1’31.620 with Xavi Fores the first of the Ducatis in eighth.
Aruba Ducati’s Chaz Davies suffered a crash in the second session and finished day one in ninth, one ahead of team-mate Davide Giugliano. Markus Reiterberger was 11th with Roman Ramos 12th. Leon Camier put the sole MV Agusta in 13th place in a 1’32.707 while Josh Brookes, who ended in 14th, and Milwaukee BMW team-mate Karel Abraham both had big crashes at turn 11.
