WorldSBK Testing wraps up at P.I. with Rea on top

Jonathan Rea tops Phillip Island WSBK Test

Despite clear skies at Phillip Island and mild temperatures most of the pointy end of the field failed to improve on their times this afternoon in the final two-hour session of the two-day WorldSBK Test.

Thus at the top of the timesheets for the day it was a Kawasaki 1-2 with Jonathan Rea two-tenths of a second ahead of team-mate and countryman Tom Sykes.

However, Marco Melandri’s 1m30.726 from the opening session on Monday was good enough to put the Ducati man up to second place overall on the combined timesheets across the two-day test.

Eugene Laverty signalled the potential of the Aprilia ending the test fourth quickest ahead of Xavi Fores.

Michael Van der Mark was sixth quickest and the fastest Yamaha just ahead of his British team-mate Alex Lowes.  Fores, Van der Mark and Lowes all posted their best times in the final session.

Leon Camier was the fastest Honda man ahead of sole BMW entrant Loris Baz.

Troy Herfoss was the fastest of the local riders on their lightly modified almost Superstock specification ASBK machines, a 1m32.297 to the Penrite Honda man who was one of only five riders to lower his time in the final session of the afternoon.

Wayne Maxwell ended the day on 1m32.651, some three-tenths slower than he has managed before on an ASBK spec’ machine back in 2009, when aftermarket camshafts were permitted in ASBK.

Daniel Falzon was 21st out of the 22-rider field on 1m32.828.

The three Australians posted the slowest speeds through the trap in the final session, 293.5km/h to Herfoss, 288.8km/h to Maxwell and 287.2km/h for Falzon.  The fastest speed was 308.6km/h recorded by Ducati rider Marco Melandri.

WSBK 2018 Phillip Island Test Combined Times

1. J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) – 1’30.598
2. M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 1’30.726
3. T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) – 1’30.804
4. E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) – 1’31.074
5. X. Forés (Barni Racing Team) – 1’31.076
6. M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) – 1’31.131
7. A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) – 1’31.370
8. L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) – 1’31.537
9. L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team) – 1’31.542
10. L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) – 1’31.579
11. C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 1’31.614
12. T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) – 1’31.822
13. J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) – 1’31.866
14. L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) – 1’32.069
15. J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) – 1’32.288
16. T. Herfoss (Penrite Honda) – 1’32.297 (wild card)
17. Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing) – 1’32.453
18. R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) – 1’32.520
19. W. Maxwell (Yamaha Racing Team) – 1’32.651 (one event)
20. P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) – 1’32.663
21. D. Falzon (Yamaha Racing Team) – 1’32.828 (wild card)
22. O. Jezek (Guandalini Racing) – 1’33.143

WorldSBK Trap Speeds Tuesday afternoon

1. Melandri 308.6
2. Lowes 306.8
3. Laverty 305.9
4. Van der Mark 305.1
5. Davies 305.1
6. Rea 305.1
7. Camier 304.2
8. Gagne 304.2
9. Fores 303.4
10. Baz 302.5
11. Sykes 302.5
12. Ramos 302.5
13. Savadori 302.5
14. Torres 301.7
15. Mercado 298.3
16. Razgatlioglu 298.3
17. Jacobsen 296.7
18. Hernandez 296.7
19. Jezek 294.3
20. Herfoss 293.5
21. Maxwell 288.8
22. Falzon 287.2

Leg weakness sees Wagner withdraw from WSS ride

Aiden Wagner had his first trot this morning on the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda CBR600RR after getting called up yesterday when Andrew Irwin was ruled out of this weekend’s event after fracturing his hand in a crash at Phillip Island.  This is Wagner’s first time back on a bike since a full knee reconstruction and shoulder surgery in November and the 23-year-old was visibly sore when he got off the bike this morning and was not on the circuit during the last half hour of the session.

Wagner will not race this weekend as his lay-off following his recent knee reconstruction has left him with little strength in his leg, and he does not have the power to hang on to the bike well enough with his legs on change of direction. Thus Wagner has withdrawn.

World Supersport

Tuuli destroyed a CIA Landlord Insurance CBR600RR this afternoon at turn two after his rear tyre came apart. Many times we have seen the Supersport race reduced in laps after the tyres have proven not to be up to the rigours of the Phillip Island circuit, and it seems as though something similar might be on the cards here this weekend. The tyre in question had 16 laps on it before it failed. It is unclear as to whether Pirelli will revert to a different option for the race weekend or request organisers to reduce the race distance. Track temperatures were not especially warm today, only a tad over 40-degrees.

Randy Krummenacher led a quartet of Yamaha’s at the top of the timesheets while Anthony West was the fastest Kawasaki in fifth.

Tom Toparis crashed at turn 12 with 30-minutes remaining in the session. The Goulburn youngster ended the day 17th.

Lachlan Epis rounds out the now 23-rider field. Epis suffered an engine failure this morning and went out late in the final session with a new engine and new electronics.

Aiden Wagner has withdrawn as per our notes above.

World Supersport 2018 P.I. Test Combined Times

1. R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) – 1’33.499
2. L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) – 1’33.547
3. F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team) – 1’33.643
4. S. Cortese (Kallio Racing) – 1’33.871
5. A. West (EAB antwest Racing) – 1’34.038
6. L. Stapleford (Profile Racing) – 1’34.074
7. R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) – 1’34.081
8. K. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) – 1’34.161
9. J. Cluzel (NRT) – 1’34.227
10. H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) – 1’34.507
11. N. Tuuli (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) – 1’34.555
12. M. Di Meglio (GMT94 Yamaha) – 1’34.864
13. K. Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini) – 1’34.954
14. A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) – 1’35.031
15. S. Hill (Profile Racing) – 1’35.056
16. L. Cresson (Kallio Racing) – 1’35.140
17. T. Toparis (Cube Racing) – 1’35.490
18. M. Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) – 1’35.655
19. T. Gradinger (NRT) – 1’35.670
20. J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini) – 1’35.672
21. N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) – 1’35.698
22. H. Soomer (Racedays) – 1’36.191
23. L. Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) – 1’36.511
24. A. Wagner (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) – 1’37.025

The opening round of the 2018 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Yamaha Finance round will feature the 22-lap WorldSBK races on Saturday and Sunday, the 18-lap WorldSSP race on Sunday, and 12 national support races during the weekend across superbike, supersport, supersport 300 and YMF R3 Cup. Aussie WorldSBK icon Troy Bayliss will make his racing comeback in superbike.

Ticketing and camping

A three-day pass for WorldSBK at the island, purchased in advance through Ticketek, is $120* and includes FREE Paddock Access. Add camping at the circuit campground for up to four nights, and you’ve the perfect location for a summer long weekend away with your mates or family.

As always with World Superbikes, kids 15 and under are free^, as is your bike.

Advance ticket sales close Wednesday February 21 at 4:00pm. Buy early and save or get your tickets at the gate from 8am Friday, Saturday and Sunday of race weekend (Feb 23-25).

For more information, visit www.worldsbk.com.au or 1300 728 007 or Ticketek.