Day 1 – Report
BAYLISS FASTEST ON DAY ONE OF TESTING – FIRST DAY DOWN FOR LEADING SBK CONTENDERS
Hometown hero Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) led the times on the first day of SBK testing at Phillip Island, securing a best time of 1’32.5; impressively close to the existing lap record of 1’31.826 at this early stage. Bayliss set a total of 66 laps on the new 1200cc Ducati 1098R, riding to find improvements in his new machine’s rear set-up. Second best time came from another perennial SBK challenger, Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) on a 1’32.8. Haga’s compatriot Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki) scored third fastest time, putting three different machines in the top three places.
NIETO IN THE TOP ECHELON
Fonsi Nieto (Alstare Suzuki) set a best of 1’33.2 on his way to putting himself into the top four on the opening day at PI, running just a tenth ahead of current lap record holder Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) and Bayliss’ new team-mate Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox). Fabrizio fell at the top of Lukey Heights, hurting on his right foot in the aftermath of his slide.
BIAGGI MAKES A QUICK TRANSITION
Max Biaggi (Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven) enjoyed his first real experience of competing against his peers on a customer Ducati 1098R, securing a time of 1’33.5 late in the day, after the sun’s power had lessened and the afternoon winds had died down. His team-mate Ruben Xaus (Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven) set the same time.
NEW KAWASAKI MAKING PROGRESS ON DAY ONE
With just a short amount of testing on their new model ZX-10R machines completed so far, PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse riders Regis Laconi and Makoto Tamada sandwiched new Alstare Suzuki riders after only one day of action, with Laconi setting a 1’34 flat.
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Broc Parkes (Yamaha WSSP Team) secured the fastest lap of day one after waiting for conditions to improve near the end, setting a 1’35.2 to keep Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Andrew Pitt from the top spot with his 1’35.5. Pitt’s team mate and WSS class rookie Jonathan Rea scored third best time after a long lay off recovering from surgery, the former BSB rider proving to be a big hit first time out in his new role in racing life.
Josh Brookes (Stiggy Honda) secured an impressive fourth at a track he has won on in WSS wild card guise, while the progress of the Triumph Caracchi squad was such that it wrote its name large in the consciousness of the Supersport world once more. The 675ccc three-cylinder machine, in the hands of the vastly experienced Garry McCoy, went fifth fastest, ahead of names such as Fabien Foret, Chris Walker, Katsuaki Fujiwara and Robbin Harms. Walker and Fujiwara were having their first test against their 2008 opposition at PI. Fujiwara is new to the team, but Walker is new to Supersport racing in any form, making his 1’36.6 lap time a respectable start to his latest racing adventure.
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:
1. Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1’32”5 (66 laps);
2. Haga (Jap-Yamaha) 1’32”8 (95);
3. Kagayama (Jap-Suzuki) 1’32”9 (70);
4. Nieto (Spa-Suzuki) 1’33”2 (65);
5. Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1’33”4 (72);
6. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1’33”4 (77);
7. Biaggi (Ita-Ducati) 1’33”5 (69);
8. Xaus (Spa-Ducati) 1’33”5 (62);
9. Laconi (Fra-Kawasaki) 1’34”0 (70);
10. Neukirchner (Ger-Suzuki) 1’35”5 (85);
11. Tamada (Jap-Kawasaki) 1’35”8 (61).
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:
1. Parkes (Aus-Yamaha) 1’35”2;
2. Pitt (Aus-Honda) 1’35”5;
3. Rea (GB-Honda) 1’35”8;
4. Brookes (Aus-Honda) 1’36”3;
5. McCoy (Aus-Triumph) 1’36”4;
6. Foret (Fra-Yamaha) 1’36”6;
7. Fujiwara (Jap-Kawasaki) 1’36”9;
8. Harms (Dan-Honda) 1’37”7.
