Factory Kawasaki's Tom Sykes fired a warning shot across the bows of his World Superbike competition at Phillip Island today, setting the quickest laptime in the opening minutes of the first session which was good enough to keep him at the top of the timesheets.
Sykes did a 1'31.648 with only 16 minutes of the first session gone and only reigning champion Carlos Checa could get to within a tenth of the Huddersfield youngster, going round in a 1'31.652. Effenbert Ducati's Jakub Smrz was third on a 1'31.800 while Jonathan Rea got up from a crash at Lukey Heights to lap in 1'31.913.
"We were fast this morning and also this afternoon in hot conditions and we even improved our time compared to yesterday’s hot track conditions. Overall we did quite a bit more testing today and certainly stumbled across a couple of good things. At the end of the sessions we did 14 laps on race tyres and it was very consistent, with the times coming easier than they were doing with previous settings," said Sykes.
"Honestly speaking, this is not one of my favourite circuits, in fact it is one of my least favourite ones, so I am happy that we are towards the front at this track because I know that the performance should increase at the other circuits. I do not want to get too carried away because I like to keep my feet on the ground, so we’ll keep working and see what happens on race weekend.”
Sykes, Checa and Smrz are all inside Troy Corser's existing lap record but nearly a second slower than Checa's best lap of 1'30.882 due to the extra six kilogrammes each bike has to heft about the place this year.
Factory Aprilia's Max Biaggi put in the fifth fastest time of the test, whipping round in 1'32.034 this morning. BMW's Marco Melandri was the only front-runner who didn't go quicker today, his time from yesterday afternoon standing whle Davide Guigliano hauled himself up to seventh fastest and then crashed at Honda corner in the second outing.
Leon Camier, on the Fixi Suzuki, came on leaps and bounds, posting the eighth-quickest time with a 1'32.230 in the morning session while Sylvain Guintoli, usually fast around Phillip Island, could only manage 1'32.347 for ninth. Crocked Leon Haslam's time from the first session yesterday was enough to keep him in tenth.
Parkingo Aprilia's Chaz Davies was the last of the British contingent but the reigning World Supersport Champion still has to get used to the power and adjustability of the RSV4. He lapped in 1'33.358, three places ahead of BSB star Josh Brookes who had another crash, this time on the fast left as you head away from MG.
Phillip Island WSBK test combined overall times
1 66 SYKES Tom (GBR) Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.465 1'33.010 1'31.648 1'32.449 1'31.648 156
2 7 CHECA Carlos (ESP) Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'31.947 1'32.038 1'31.652 1'32.015 1'31.652 117
3 96 SMRZ Jakub (CZE) Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'32.848 1'33.040 1'31.800 1'32.721 1'31.800 134
4 65 REA Jonathan (GBR) Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.381 1'32.379 1'31.913 1'32.403 1'31.913 142
5 3 BIAGGI Max (ITA) Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.136 1'32.132 1'32.034 1'32.371 1'32.034 145
6 33 MELANDRI Marco (ITA) BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.556 1'32.232 1'32.281 1'32.823 1'32.232 148
7 34 GIUGLIANO Davide (ITA) Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.366 1'33.692 1'32.319 1'33.039 1'32.319 108
8 2 CAMIER Leon (GBR) Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.104 1'33.105 1'32.320 1'32.984 1'32.320 129
9 50 GUINTOLI Sylvain (FRA) Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.768 1'33.024 1'32.347 1'32.657 1'32.347 105
10 91 HASLAM Leon (GBR) BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.397 1'32.397 25
11 17 LASCORZ Joan (ESP) Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.023 1'33.005 1'32.540 1'32.741 1'32.540 128
12 84 FABRIZIO Michel (ITA) BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.141 1'33.294 1'32.605 1'33.094 1'32.605 125
13 59 CANEPA Niccolò (ITA) Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'33.863 1'32.836 1'32.746 1'33.317 1'32.746 133
14 4 AOYAMA Hiroshi (JPN) Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.225 1'33.479 1'32.910 1'33.116 1'32.910 139
15 121 BERGER Maxime (FRA) Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.570 1'33.246 1'32.911 1'33.694 1'32.911 124
16 86 BADOVINI Ayrton (ITA) BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'34.440 1'34.234 1'32.948 1'33.234 1'32.948 107
17 87 ZANETTI Lorenzo (ITA) PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'34.782 1'33.566 1'33.136 1'33.349 1'33.136 119
18 19 DAVIES Chaz (GBR) ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'35.019 1'34.303 1'33.561 1'33.358 1'33.358 130
19 44 SALOM David (ESP) Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.812 1'33.385 1'33.385 56
20 67 STARING Bryan (AUS) Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'34.388 1'33.704 1'33.418 1'33.611 1'33.418 127
21 25 BROOKES Joshua (AUS) Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.922 1'34.667 1'33.623 1'33.941 1'33.623 112
22 18 AITCHISON Mark (AUS) Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'36.224 1'35.223 1'34.634 1'34.169 1'34.169 133
23 35 DE ROSA Raffaele (ITA) Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.164 1'34.400 1'34.341 1'34.502 1'34.341 137
Phillip Island WSBK test day two overall times
1 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.648 1'32.449 1'31.648 174,603 71
2 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'31.652 1'32.015 1'31.652 0.004 0.004 174,595 46
3 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'31.800 1'32.721 1'31.800 0.152 0.148 174,314 58
4 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'31.913 1'32.403 1'31.913 0.265 0.113 174,099 67
5 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.034 1'32.371 1'32.034 0.386 0.121 173,871 61
6 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.281 1'32.823 1'32.281 0.633 0.247 173,405 72
7 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.319 1'33.039 1'32.319 0.671 0.038 173,334 49
8 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.320 1'32.984 1'32.320 0.672 0.001 173,332 72
9 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.347 1'32.657 1'32.347 0.699 0.027 173,281 43
10 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.540 1'32.741 1'32.540 0.892 0.193 172,920 66
11 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'32.605 1'33.094 1'32.605 0.957 0.065 172,798 61
12 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'32.746 1'33.317 1'32.746 1.098 0.141 172,536 63
13 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.910 1'33.116 1'32.910 1.262 0.164 172,231 66
14 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.911 1'33.694 1'32.911 1.263 0.001 172,229 57
15 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'32.948 1'33.234 1'32.948 1.300 0.037 172,161 54
16 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'33.136 1'33.349 1'33.136 1.488 0.188 171,813 62
17 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.561 1'33.358 1'33.358 1.710 0.222 171,405 64
18 44 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.385 1'33.385 1.737 0.027 171,355 25
19 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.418 1'33.611 1'33.418 1.770 0.033 171,295 65
20 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.623 1'33.941 1'33.623 1.975 0.205 170,920 63
21 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'34.634 1'34.169 1'34.169 2.521 0.546 169,929 71
22 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.341 1'34.502 1'34.341 2.693 0.172 169,619 58
Phillip Island WSBK test day two session two - conditions dry
1 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.015 15 173,906 297,0
2 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.371 0.356 0.356 37 173,236 307,1
3 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.403 0.388 0.032 38 173,176 305,4
4 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.449 0.434 0.046 41 173,090 298,6
5 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.657 0.642 0.208 27 172,701 296,2
6 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'32.721 0.706 0.064 20 172,582 295,4
7 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.741 0.726 0.020 31 172,545 304,5
8 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.823 0.808 0.082 35 172,393 307,1
9 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.984 0.969 0.161 35 172,094 294,6
10 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.039 1.024 0.055 22 171,992 293,0
11 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.094 1.079 0.055 37 171,891 304,5
12 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.116 1.101 0.022 32 171,850 302,0
13 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'33.234 1.219 0.118 22 171,633 307,1
14 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'33.317 1.302 0.083 32 171,480 297,8
15 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'33.349 1.334 0.032 28 171,421 303,7
16 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.358 1.343 0.009 33 171,405 305,4
17 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.611 1.596 0.253 27 170,941 289,8
18 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'33.694 1.679 0.083 32 170,790 296,2
19 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.941 1.926 0.247 32 170,341 293,0
20 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'34.169 2.154 0.228 37 169,929 297,0
21 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.502 2.487 0.333 39 169,330 292,2
Phillip Island WSBK test day two session one - conditions dry
1 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.648 30 174,603 306,3
2 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'31.652 0.004 0.004 31 174,595 300,3
3 96 J. SMRZ CZE Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1'31.800 0.152 0.148 38 174,314 304,5
4 65 J. REA GBR Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'31.913 0.265 0.113 29 174,099 308,9
5 3 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.034 0.386 0.121 24 173,871 311,6
6 33 M. MELANDRI ITA BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1'32.281 0.633 0.247 37 173,405 310,7
7 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.319 0.671 0.038 27 173,334 298,6
8 2 L. CAMIER GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.320 0.672 0.001 37 173,332 299,5
9 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.347 0.699 0.027 16 173,281 301,1
10 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.540 0.892 0.193 35 172,920 308,9
11 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'32.605 0.957 0.065 24 172,798 308,9
12 59 N. CANEPA ITA Red Devils Roma Ducati 1098R 1'32.746 1.098 0.141 31 172,536 299,5
13 4 H. AOYAMA JPN Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.910 1.262 0.164 34 172,231 308,0
14 121 M. BERGER FRA Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1'32.911 1.263 0.001 25 172,229 302,0
15 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet BMW S1000 RR 1'32.948 1.300 0.037 32 172,161 308,9
16 87 L. ZANETTI ITA PATA Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1'33.136 1.488 0.188 34 171,813 306,3
17 44 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.385 1.737 0.249 25 171,355 298,6
18 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.418 1.770 0.033 38 171,295 293,8
19 19 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.561 1.913 0.143 31 171,033 308,9
20 25 J. BROOKES AUS Crescent Fixi Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.623 1.975 0.062 31 170,920 298,6
21 35 R. DE ROSA ITA Pro Ride Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR 1'34.341 2.693 0.718 19 169,619 297,8
22 18 M. AITCHISON AUS Grillini Progea Superbike Team BMW S1000 RR 1'34.634 2.986 0.293 34 169,094 298,6
