Factory Kawasaki team-mates Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea set the respective fastest times on two days of World Superbike testing at Phillip Island but the Huddersfield 2013 champion came out on top with his quickest from yesterday 0.152 quicker than Rea.
Reigning champ Rea set the fastest time of 1’31.249 in today’s morning session before temperatures went through the roof in the afternoon, and he also completed a 20-lap race run, populated with low 1’32s laps and the occasional 1’31s for good measure. Sykes did not do a full run.
Aruba Ducati’s Davide Giugliano found pace in the morning session to bag third place on the overall sheets, putting in a 1’31.400 to end 0.303s behind Sykes. The Italian didn’t do a full race run but managed 22 laps on the same tyre and didn’t drop out of the 1’32s.
Dutch youngster Michael Van Der Mark proved his Monday pace on the ageing Fireblade was no fluke, setting a 1’31.458 to take fourth place on the combined sheets. His time this morning was two-tenths slower than Rea and only 0.058s beind Giugliano overall.
Pata Yamaha’s Sylvain Guintoli ended the test in fifth place and 0.376 off the pace on the new R1. He led the final session today despite three red-flag interruptions and a crash himself at the Southern Loop.
Spain’s Jordi Torres is easily the fastest of the new BMWs, ending in sixth place 1’31.628 set yesterday afternoon and he is one ahead of former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden. The American was also at his best yesterday afternoon on a 1’31.558 but ended this morning first session in fifth on a 1’31.585.
Alex Lowes, on the second Pata Yamaha, is still injured so will be ok with ending in eighth place, just in front of Xavi Fores while Chaz Davies is eight tenths off the pace in tenth place, unable to go quicker than his time from yesterday.
MV Agusta’s Leon Camier is in 14th and won’t be surprised by that but reigning British Superbike king Josh Brookes is one place further back and he will be fairly unhappy. The Australian hasn’t found any extra pace since yesterday morning so there is some work to do in the Milwaukee BMW camp.
