Melandri edges Sykes and Rea in opening day
The hot weather and blisteringly hot temperatures for Free Practice 2 at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve saw only a handful of riders better their lap times, leaving Aprilia Racing Team rider Marco Melandri at the top of the combined standings a fraction ahead of the improving Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) who elevated himself to 2nd despite running off track in the final few moments of the session.
Behind the top two Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team), and Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) were 3rd to 6th respectively.
Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) got the better of Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) for 7th, with Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) moving up several places in the final ten minutes to claim 10th and the final automatic Superpole 2 place as it stands.
Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team) was once again the best classified EVO rider in 11th overall ahead of Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia), Sheridan Morais (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki – EVO) and the much improved MV Agusta Reparto Corse machine of Italian Claudio Corti, who was 14th.
Luca Scassa (Team Pedercini Kawasaki – EVO) who rode in FP1 withdrew from the event, the Italian still not fully fit from his early season crash. He was replaced in the second free practice session by Riccardo Russo, who made a midday switch from the Superstock 1000cc category that he was originally supposed to ride this weekend.
At the back of the field both Team Hero EBR riders had a torrid opening day with both Aaron Yates and Geoff May currently outside of the qualification maxima.
Times: 1. Melandri (Aprilia) 1’43.880 average 159.137 kph; 2. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’43.927; 3. Rea (Honda) 1’43.939; 4. Laverty (Suzuki) 1’44.147; 5. Davies (Ducati) 1’44.273; 6. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’44.304; 7. Lowes (Suzuki) 1’44.374; 8. Haslam (Honda) 1’44.511; 9. Baz (Kawasaki) 1’44.629; 10. Giugliano (Ducati) 1’44.862; 11. Barrier (BMW) 1’44.960; 12. Elias (Aprilia) 1’45.466; 13. Morais (Kawasaki) 1’45.801; 14. Corti (MV Agusta) 1’45.847; 15. Badovini (Bimota) 1’45.919; 16. Iddon (Bimota) 1’45.927; 17. Salom (Kawasaki) 1’45.930; 18. Canepa (Ducati) 1’46.025; 19. Foret (Kawasaki) 1’46.557; 20. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’46.588; 21. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1’46.712; 22. Russo (Kawasaki) 1’46.718; 23. Staring (Kawasaki) 1’47.596; 24. Rizmayer (BMW) 1’48.588; 25. Sebestyen (BMW) 1’50.324; NC. Yates (EBR) 1’51.414; NC. May (EBR) 1’51.881; EX. Scassa (Kawasaki) 1’49.223.
World Supersport
After two scorching 45 minute sessions, former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India) heads into tomorrow’s World Supersport FP3 and sole qualifying session at the top of the combined standings despite a late surge from the current 2014 championship leader Michael vd Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team).
With only the Dutchman improving this afternoon from the top six riders after FP1, the times from the earlier session which was held in slightly cooler conditions set the benchmark.
Sofuoglu therefore leads his young rival by 0.039s with Misano winner Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) a close third.
Jack Kennedy (CIA Insurance Honda) impressed in fourth ahead of Kev Coghlan (DMC-Panavto Yamaha) and the second Pata Honda of Lorenzo Zanetti who rounded out the top six.
Massimo Roccoli had a positive day aboard the second factory MV Agusta machine, finishing 7th overall just ahead of Roberto Rolfo (Go Eleven Kawasaki) who was the only other rider in the top eight apart from Van Der Mark to improve this afternoon.
Times: 1. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’46.400 average 155.368 kph; 2. Vd Mark (Honda) 1’46.439; 3. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1’46.760; 4. Kennedy (Honda) 1’47.101; 5. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1’47.232; 6. Zanetti (Honda) 1’47.321; 7. Roccoli (MV Agusta) 1’47.373; 8. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 1’47.508; 9. De Rosa (Honda) 1’47.596; 10. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’47.640; 11. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1’47.695; 12. Bussolotti (Honda) 1’47.696; 13. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1’47.957; 14. Wilairot (Honda) 1’47.991; 15. Debise (Honda) 1’48.102; 16. Baldolini (MV Agusta) 1’48.468; 17. Marconi (Honda) 1’48.567; 18. Nocco (Kawasaki) 1’48.635; 19. Calero (Honda) 1’49.217; 20. Menghi (Yamaha) 1’49.651; 21. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 1’49.676; 22. Coveña (Kawasaki) 1’49.702; 23. Ivanov (Yamaha) 1’50.956.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Report
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki had an encouraging start at the Autodromo do Algarve in Portugal today for the initial two free practice sessions of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship weekend.
Eugene Laverty showed determined-promise from the opening stages on his Yoshimura-powered GSX-R to claim the third-fastest time of the morning session. Having made adjustments to his Suzuki to accommodate his right foot – re-injured during Misano’s race one a fortnight ago – Laverty continued his pace throughout the afternoon, setting a 1’44.147-lap to hold third position for both of the individual sessions and claiming fourth overall in the combined times.
Despite conditions being drastically different from his previous visit to the Portuguese circuit, Alex Lowes quickly got –to-grips with the 45°C track. Lowes ran fourth in the morning outing, then the he continued his progress on the GSX-R1000, recording a 1’44.374 as the afternoon drew to a close; his lap-time earning him seventh position heading into tomorrow’s final qualifying free practice.
Blue skies and glorious sunshine bathed the Autodromo do Algarve for the opening day of track action, with asphalt temperatures reaching 52°C by mid-afternoon. Aprillia’s Marco Melandri held the fastest time in both free practice sessions, with BMW’s Sylvain Barrier claiming the position within the EVO class.
Eugene Laverty: “To be right at the sharp-end on day-one is very promising. The Suzuki works really well here; it’s a track that has a lot of secrets and I’ve worked hard over the years to learn them. I’m confident that we will be there challenging for the win on Sunday and it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to say that. I was quite annoyed with my right foot this morning because it’s worse than the original injury and it means that I can’t use the rear brake now; so we are working on a thumb brake system. We will try to use that because the rear brake is a fundamental part of my riding style.”
Alex Lowes: “I’m happy to be only a couple-of-tenths off Eugene as this is a good track for him and he’s done a lot of work round here. It’s my first-ever race here and we’re not too far away. I’m really enjoying it so far, so we will keep working over the weekend and see if we can challenge on Sunday. I think we can improve the bike and have a better result tomorrow.”
Paul Denning – Team Manager: “It has been a good first day for the whole team in Portimao; possibly the best Friday of the season so far. Eugene’s foot is far from perfect but he has managed to adapt and the team has adapted the bike by removing the rear brake system and adding a thumb brake system to try to help a little bit. It is nice to see Eugene really enjoying the GSX-R again and hopefully we can find a little-more performance to help make the job easier as we go into tomorrow.
“I think Alex is enjoying coming to a circuit that he has ridden the bike at before but with the track temperature up at 45°C compared to 18°C in January, the feeling is very different and he has had to work hard to understand the limits with the level of grip being reduced and the tyre movement being increased. He is riding in a fully-committed style and one of the targets for tomorrow will be to make the bike a little less nervous and easier to ride over race-distance at a decent pace.”
Pata Honda Report
Jonathan Rea set the second-fastest time in this afternoon’s second free practice session for round eight of the 2014 World Superbike championship at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal.
The 27-year-old’s time of 1m43.939s was good enough for third place overall – just six hundredths of a second behind provisional pole sitter, Marco Melandri – after today’s two free-practice sessions ahead of final qualifying tomorrow afternoon at the 4.592km circuit near Portimao.
Rea’s Pata Honda team-mate, Leon Haslam, was satisfied with his own progress with Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade SP today. The 31-year-old from Derbyshire in the UK ended the day in eighth position, just half a second from Rea and certainly in the mix for tomorrow’s Portimao action.
Jonathan Rea – P3 – “I feel like we’ve made more progress in one day here than we did all weekend in Misano. Part of that is down to the way we’ve been applying changes during the session – we’ve been a lot braver with making the changes. We’re coming from outside the box and we’ve needed to do that. I really enjoy riding this circuit and I have a good feeling for what I need to go fast around here. In that respect, this is a good circuit for me to be able to give the guys some direction and I think we’re definitely making progress. We worked a long time on one tyre today and took it into the afternoon to understand how the race is going to be with the high temperatures, but we’ll see. The pace for everyone around here is a little bit slow but I think that’s down to the grip level. It&rsq uo;s really low compared to last year and even the winter test. But to be so close on the first day is good so we just need to keep making positive changes to improve the bike more. Hopefully we can make those right changes tonight and come back stronger tomorrow.”
Leon Haslam – P8 “It’s been a productive day and we’ve persevered with a new theory on engine power delivery. We’ve even gone in what you might call a ‘non-normal’ direction with the chassis as well, changing the balance of the bike. There are some definite positives, but a few negatives, too, so we just have to work out which is the quicker way! Johnny is running with the chassis and set-up that we know has got him a lot of podiums here, and that’s a fantastic back-up. We’ve got a new tyre this weekend to try, too, which has added some complications. They are going to be two long 20-lap races on Sunday, regardless of what set-up we go with but at the moment we haven’t had too many major problems and we’re getting through all the things we’ve wanted to test.”
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator – “Leon didn’t have a bad day, even though we need to improve some settings. I think he made some good steps and if he continues like this he can do a good job here. It hasn’t been easy for Jonathan and progress was a little more slow than we would have wished. But in the end he pulled a good lap together which put him in third and only half a tenth from first. We are quite pleased with that but we still have work to do and I’m sure we can help him to go a lot better, especially in this place where he has such a good record.”
Aprilia Racing Report
Marco Melandri came out of the gates shining at Portimão, taking the top spot in the first morning session and pleased with the work accomplished in the afternoon. Sylvain Guintoli had a few difficulties, starting off well (second in FP1) but unable to find his groove in the afternoon. In any case, both riders have clear ideas on how to set up the two sessions tomorrow.
Melandri, improving steadily in the last two rounds where he took two wins and then two podiums, stopped the clock with the best time in the first session, immediately feeling comfortable on the ups and downs of the Portuguese track. In the afternoon the Italian rider focused on a series of tests both in terms of tyres and settings for his number 33 RSV4, gathering useful information for tomorrow’s sessions and Superpole. For the races Marco is expecting a tight group of competitive riders, a situation that promises two spectacular shows.
Marco Melandri: “Overall this was a good day for us. In the afternoon the conditions were much different than in the morning with strong winds and very hot asphalt. Because of that we focused on testing tyres because with the new solutions available to us the choice is not necessarily a given. As far as our times go I was quite pleased with the performance in the first practice session so in the afternoon I decided to work more on race pace. I am seeing a lot of competitive riders and here at Portimão race times usually change quite a bit, so being well prepared is essential. Superpole is not my strong point, but tomorrow I’ll have to try to take advantage of it as best as possible. Starting from the front row could definitely help in the hung for a good result”.
Sylvain Guintoli, after an excellent performance in the morning, also set to work solving some grip problems due to the different track conditions in FP2. The changes made didn’t provide the expected results, so tomorrow Sylvain and his team will continue working on the base settings to try and find the best configuration.
Sylvain Guintoli: “Today was a tough day. It seems like the track lost a lot of grip compared to last year. We did well this morning and then in the afternoon we tested some different geometries to try and improve but the results were not what we had hoped for. So tomorrow we’ll go back to our base setting and start over from there, going in a different direction and trying to improve on our times. I like the track and I’m confident that we’ll be able to solve the problems we had today and ride two good races”.
Team Hero EBR Report
The opening day of the 8th round of the World Superbike Championship saw Team Hero EBR rider Aaron Yates ride his EBR1190RX machine on Portimao’s rollercoaster, ending the two combined free practice sessions outside of the qualification maxima as once again the team were blighted with set-up issues.
Keen to put the disappointment of Misano behind him, Geoff’s weekend began in the worst possible way with him unable to ride his 1190RX machine as parts were delayed at Portuguese customs. He was however able to make his Portimao debut in FP2 but such is the challenging, undulating nature of the Portuguese circuit he was unable to make any serious impression in the overall standings. Aaron on the other hand completed a good number of laps throughout the day but despite making steps forward with 1190RX machine found himself just outside of the qualifying limit.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s FP3 and given the slight progress made in FP2 for both riders, the team is optimistic of having both riders qualify for Sunday’s races.
Geoff May: “For me Portimao is the coolest track that I have ever ridden. It has a great layout and is so much fun to ride. I made the most of FP2 after missing the morning session but the engine arrived with ten minutes to go this afternoon and apart from one small glitch everything went well. There is a definite improvement so I am confident for tomorrow after setting myself the challenge this afternoon to learn the circuit quickly.”
Aaron Yates: “We made some improvements in FP2 with the bike set-up and that should help us tomorrow in FP3. I didn’t go as fast I thought we would this afternoon but we did make a step forward. I am more comfortable with the track now after the afternoon session and am ready for tomorrow.”
