Althea Ducati's Carlos Checa has confirmed he is the man to beat in this year's World Superbike Championship, setting the fastest time on the first day of official testing at Phillip Island.
Checa was the only rider to dip under the 1'32s barrier with his 1'31.947 but fellow former MotoGP men Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri were only fractions slower with the Aprilia man on 1'32.132 and the BMW rider a further tenth in arrears.
“I’m pretty happy. We’re still up there with the times, though it seems difficult to improve beyond that point. Today we continued to work on set-up, with the suspension and the electronics, trying to find the best compromise when it comes to performance. Tomorrow we still have a few small things to work on and we’ll look at the tyres again of course as tyre choice for this weekend’s races will be extremely important. So tomorrow we’ll get everything in line as much as possible and then our concentration turns to the first races of the season," said Checa.
Honda Racing's Jonathan Rea gave the 2012 Fireblade a good first public run, bagging fourth place on a 1'32.379 but it wasn't such good news for Leon Haslam. After setting the fifth quickest time, he crashed exiting the last corner and was taken to hospital with a fractured right tibia. (Click here for more on that).
Factory Kawasaki's Tom Sykes has also continued his impressive work, notching sixth fastest with another ex-MotoGP man, this time in the shape of Sylvain Guintoli, behind him. Fixi Suzki's Leon Camier was the next best of the Brits in 11th on a 1'33.104. Chaz Davies made a steady start on the Parkingo Aprilia in 20th while Josh Brookes is still getting used to John Hopkins' Suzuki. He ended the day in 22nd after a highside at MG opened an old scar on his torso.
Phillip Island WSB test day one overall times
1 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'31.947 1'32.038 1'31.947 174,035 71
2 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.136 1'32.132 1'32.132 0.185 0.185 173,686 84
3 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.556 1'32.232 1'32.232 0.285 0.100 173,497 76
4 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.381 1'32.379 1'32.379 0.432 0.147 173,221 75
5 91 L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.397 1'32.397 0.450 0.018 173,187 25
6 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.465 1'33.010 1'32.465 0.518 0.068 173,060 85
7 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.768 1'33.024 1'32.768 0.821 0.303 172,495 62
8 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'33.863 1'32.836 1'32.836 0.889 0.068 172,368 70
9 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'32.848 1'33.040 1'32.848 0.901 0.012 172,346 76
10 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.023 1'33.005 1'33.005 1.058 0.157 172,055 62
11 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.104 1'33.105 1'33.104 1.157 0.099 171,872 57
12 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.141 1'33.294 1'33.141 1.194 0.037 171,804 64
13 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.570 1'33.246 1'33.246 1.299 0.105 171,611 67
14 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.366 1'33.692 1'33.366 1.419 0.120 171,390 59
15 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.225 1'33.479 1'33.479 1.532 0.113 171,183 73
16 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'34.782 1'33.566 1'33.566 1.619 0.087 171,024 57
17 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'34.388 1'33.704 1'33.704 1.757 0.138 170,772 62
18 44 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.812 1'33.812 1.865 0.108 170,575 31
19 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'34.440 1'34.234 1'34.234 2.287 0.422 169,811 53
20 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.019 1'34.303 1'34.303 2.356 0.069 169,687 66
21 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.164 1'34.400 1'34.400 2.453 0.097 169,513 79
22 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.922 1'34.667 1'34.667 2.720 0.267 169,035 49
23 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'36.224 1'35.223 1'35.223 3.276 0.556 168,048 62
Phillip Island WSBK test day one second session - conditions dry
1 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.038 33 173,863 300,3
2 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.132 0.094 0.094 43 173,686 308,9
3 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.232 0.194 0.100 35 173,497 311,6
4 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.379 0.341 0.147 40 173,221 303,7
5 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'32.836 0.798 0.457 31 172,368 299,5
6 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.005 0.967 0.169 30 172,055 303,7
7 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.010 0.972 0.005 39 172,046 300,3
8 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.024 0.986 0.014 33 172,020 298,6
9 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'33.040 1.002 0.016 34 171,991 302,8
10 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.105 1.067 0.065 30 171,870 298,6
11 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.246 1.208 0.141 30 171,611 302,8
12 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.294 1.256 0.048 33 171,522 306,3
13 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.479 1.441 0.185 41 171,183 305,4
14 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'33.566 1.528 0.087 37 171,024 304,5
15 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.692 1.654 0.126 23 170,794 293,8
16 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.704 1.666 0.012 37 170,772 293,0
17 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'34.234 2.196 0.530 21 169,811 308,0
18 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'34.303 2.265 0.069 30 169,687 305,4
19 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.400 2.362 0.097 38 169,513 294,6
20 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.667 2.629 0.267 26 169,035 293,0
21 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'35.223 3.185 0.556 34 168,048 294,6
Phillip Island WSBK test day one first session - conditions dry
1 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'31.947 38 174,035 300,3
2 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.136 0.189 0.189 41 173,678 310,7
3 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.381 0.434 0.245 35 173,217 302,0
4 91 L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.397 0.450 0.016 25 173,187 307,1
5 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.465 0.518 0.068 46 173,060 302,8
6 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.556 0.609 0.091 41 172,890 309,8
7 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.768 0.821 0.212 29 172,495 297,8
8 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'32.848 0.901 0.080 42 172,346 304,5
9 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.023 1.076 0.175 32 172,022 306,3
10 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.104 1.157 0.081 27 171,872 294,6
11 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.141 1.194 0.037 31 171,804 307,1
12 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.366 1.419 0.225 36 171,390 294,6
13 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.570 1.623 0.204 37 171,016 297,8
14 44 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.812 1.865 0.242 31 170,575 297,0
15 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'33.863 1.916 0.051 39 170,483 301,1
16 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.225 2.278 0.362 32 169,828 305,4
17 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'34.388 2.441 0.163 25 169,534 289,1
18 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'34.440 2.493 0.052 32 169,441 303,7
19 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'34.782 2.835 0.342 20 168,830 302,0
20 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.922 2.975 0.140 23 168,581 295,4
21 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.019 3.072 0.097 36 168,408 304,5
22 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.164 3.217 0.145 41 168,152 293,0
23 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'36.224 4.277 1.060 28 166,299 297,0
