Jonathan Rea showed he means business at Imola as the Ulsterman posted a scintillating lap to go fastest during second practice in Italy.
A superb 1’47.344 was enough for Rea to hold off his Kawasaki team-mate Tom Sykes as the Japanese outfit got to grips with their duties.
Ducati dominated most of the session, with both Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano looking likely to continue their impressive weekend form, but as the clock ticked down championship leader Rea blasted his ZX-10R around the circuit and snatched the plaudits away from Giugliano.
The Italian’s 1’47.582 was very impressive considering he has been plagued with an injury sustained just before the season opener in Australia, and he is well set to get his season up and running if the two practice sessions at Imola are anything to go by.
Late in the session Sykes consolidated Kawasaki’s strong performance with a 1’47.517 leaving him just 0.173 off his team-mate and ahead of Giugliano and Davies, with the Welshman posting a 1’47.686 as his preparations continue in good style.
Leon Haslam was only good enough for fifth fastest again, but his team-mate Jordi Torres will be quite worried by his pace during the opening sessions. The Spaniard languished in 15th as he endured a difficult start to proceedings in Italy.
Having had a disastrous weekend last time out, the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki team will be pleased with Alex Lowes efforts in Italy as his 1’48.660 was only just over a second off top spot and placed him sixth.
Unfortunately for Paul Denning’s team, Randy De Puniet’s life in World Superbikes looks like having no signs of getting any easier sometime soon, as he was 18th in a very poor session for the Frenchman.
Rounding out the top ten were Ayrton Badovini, David Salom, Leandro Mercado and Sylvain Guintoli. The latter will take little solace from his tenth place as his torrid time at Pata Honda continues.
Indeed, the Pata Honda team have not enjoyed Imola so far with Michael Van Der Mark, so impressive at Assen last time out, only able to muster 13th place on the timesheets.
After having such a good morning session, Leon Camier might have expected more from second practice but as it was he could not make any impression on his morning times as a 1’49.850 left him in 14th and with more work to do ahead of tomorrow’s sessions.
