Jonathan Rea leads the way at Donington in Kawasaki 1-2-3
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) enjoyed a positive day on Friday despite an uncharacteristic crash at the beginning of FP1, going on to top the timesheets in both practice sessions on the first day of the PATA UK Round.
Rea’s 1’27.740 time in FP2 made him the fastest rider of the day at Donington, with his teammate Tom Sykes second quickest – the Yorkshireman lapping +0.122s behind his Northern Irish colleague on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
Jonathan Rea – P1
“This afternoon we set off with the intention of doing a long run. We did a race simulation which as OK and we have a lot of good information now for the first race tomorrow. I think we will put our heads together tonight and try to improve in some areas. In the first sector I feel really consistent, in the last sector I feel quite good on the brakes if I needed to make passes and even in the chicane, which was quite a tough area for me last year, this is the best have felt. It is just sector two where I need to improve a little bit.”
Tom Sykes – P2
“I am definitely feeling a lot better physically than I have been recently and I am enjoying riding round Donington Park in the sunshine. It is definitely warm enough. We just need to dial in a couple of things for tomorrow but overall the base is there and things are working well. We have a similar bike set-up at Donington to what we have been running this year. I am just trying to make a couple of steps for race one tomorrow. Plan A is the same as always, go out and try to win both races.”
Also making a good start to the weekend on his return to WorldSBK as a wildcard was Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who lapped third fastest overall, at a circuit he knows so well.
In fourth place Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was the only non-British rider in a top six which also featured Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).
Marco Melandri – P4
“It’s been a positive day for us. We started off on the right foot, and the Panigale R worked well right away this morning. In the afternoon, we tried some changes to our setup, some of which worked while others didn’t. We need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, because it’s hard to be at 100 percent both in the fast and slow sectors of the track. Also, the track is quite bumpy despite the resurfacing. It’ll be a tough race, with many fast riders and possibly erratic weather. We have to be ready.”
Chaz Davies – P5
“It wasn’t a bad day, we’re not too far away and we just need to work on stability to improve my feeling with the package and be able to choose slightly different lines. The resurfaced areas are better, but the problem is that there are quite big bumps where the joins are. We need to tidy up a bit here and there to be more consistent. We’re working to improve the overall chassis balance and some electronics stuff as well. Also, we’ll use a much fresher engine tomorrow so that should give us a couple of tenths too.”
Alex Lowes – P6
“Today was a bit of a mixed day. Unfortunately, we are still behind the leaders, so we need to do something tonight to try to close the gap. I had decent pace on old tyres, my lap times didn’t drop off too much, but we need to make a small step to get the result I want at my home race. I had a small crash at the Melbourne loop, as the last sector is a part of the track I am struggling with at the minute, and I was just in a little bit hot on the brakes. I was trying to work out whether I was losing time on the brakes or on corner exit. Clearly, I found the limit on the brakes, so we have to work on our corner exit tomorrow! I will try my best and the team are doing a great job. It is fantastic to be riding in front of the British fans! There were loads of people out there today, we had great weather and its been a nice start. We should make a small step tomorrow so I hope I can fight for the podium.”
Mark Michael van der Mark – P7
“I have mixed feelings after today. This morning we started off really well, and then we had a small crash. After that, I was going faster and faster in FP1 and then in the last few minutes I had quite a big crash at the Fogarty Esses. We knew what we had to change on the bike for FP2, but when I went out, it just didn’t feel right. Therefore, towards the end of the session we changed back to the settings we had this morning. I was losing a lot of time in the last two sectors, if we can make up the time there, we will be much closer to the front. Our pace is quite good, and I am sure we can find something for tomorrow and we will be strong. Todays weather was awesome, and I hope it will be good tomorrow as it is such a beautiful track to ride!”
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was seventh best, just ahead of eighth placed Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia). Completing the top ten and therefore going straight through to Tissot Superpole 2 on Saturday were Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Leandro Mercado (IODARacing).
Stefan Bradl, who turned a wheel at this track today for the first time in eight years, was 17th in the combined times of the two hours of practice and, therefore, will take part in tomorrow’s Superpole 1.
Stefan Bradl – P17
“It hasn’t been an easy day, because we haven’t yet quite found the right feeling with the bike. This track requires a very good throttle response and smooth power delivery, so these are the areas we need to work on the most. I hope the weather won’t change, so that we can make the most of tomorrow morning’s FP3 and Superpole 1 to continue working on the bike set-up ahead of race one.”
On the other side of the garage, Nicky Hayden’s Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 machine was on full display, with his #69 helmet on top of the fuel tank.
Approaching the half way point in the session Lowes and Mercado crashed in quick succession, Lowes losing the front at turn 11 and Mercado heading into the gravel and down at turn 8. There were also spills for Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team) as the riders pushed to the limits.
Earlier in the day Rea led the way in FP1 with a 1’27.828 lap, after a crash earlier in the session. He was accompanied in the top three by his teammate Sykes and Ducati man Melandri.
Rea crashed in the opening minutes of the first practice of the weekend but was unharmed and went on to lap quicker than any of his rivals, with Van der Mark and De Angelis also crashing in the session.
WorldSBK 2017 – Donington – Day One Combined Practice Times
- Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team 1.27.740
- Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team +0.122
- Leon Haslam Kawasaki Puccetti Racing +0.399
WorldSSP – Sunny British skies see’s hot pace from WorldSSP riders
Leading the way on Friday at the PATA UK Round was American rider PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who registered a 1’30.968 lap in FP2 to put him ahead of the rest of the field, his closest challenger being Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).
Sofuoglu trailed Jacobsen by just a +0.114s margin, whilst in third place on the timesheet Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) was the fastest British rider on track in the WorldSSP category.
Two Frenchmen Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) and Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) completed the top five. Mahias is the championship leader after five races and he is looking for a fifth podium result of the year this weekend.
Just over half a second off Jacobsen’s P1 pace Hikari Okubo (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) was sixth fastest, ahead of Briton Kyle Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini) in seventh.
Friday’s action at Donington Park concluded with Christian Gamarino (BARDAHL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing), Sheridan Morais (Kallio Racing) and Irishman Jack Kennedy (Profile Racing) all in the top ten.
A red flag came out to interrupt the session briefly after a crash for Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) had left debris on track. The diligent marshals quickly cleaned the track following the incident and the action was soon back underway.
Earlier in the day in FP1 Sofuoglu topped the timesheet with a 1’31.193 lap time, ahead of Jacobsen (+0.244s) and Mahias (+0.258s).
WorldSBK 2017 – Donington – Day One World Supersport Combined Practice Times
- PJ Jacobsen MV Agusta Reparto Corse 1.30.968
- Kenan Sofuoglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing +0.114
- Gino Rea Team Kawasaki Go Eleven +0.381
FIM Superstock 1000
