Jonathan Rea leads Phillip Island testing ahead of first race this weekend
After two days of WorldSBK testing at Phillip Island, three-time world champion Jonathan Rea secures the best time in the combined standings. Bodes well for Kawasaki as World Superbike Championship resumes in Australia this weekend ?!
Marco Melandri (Ducati) had the best time of the first day in 1’30.726, but he is the world champion,, – and? – Jonathan Rea who regained the ascendancy the next day with the best time in the combined standings (1’30.598), just before the resumption of the season this weekend at .
"The track was not in the best conditions this afternoon, but we still managed to do a full race simulation which gave us good information to improve the basis of the bike before the race", said rejoices the number one in the discipline after a big crash in turn 11, which gave "a lot of work" to his mechanics !
- World Superbike 2018 :
However, the task does not look easy for the Irishman who is ahead of Marco Melandri by only a big tenth, while Tom Sykes is third at 1 tenth behind the Italian … The first three drivers are therefore held in hardly more than 2 tenths in the classification of the two days.
Fight for stability
"We improved in several areas during these two days of intensive testing," warns Marco Melandri, leading on day one and second in the combined standings. "We accumulated a lot of data even if today was difficult, because the track conditions had changed again compared to yesterday. We had to fight again for stability, especially in the main straight. Our times are competitive, but you still have to improve to be more consistent throughout the race. The races here are always very tactical so it’s hard to predict, but I’m very motivated and eager to get started..
"I’m third in qualifying, but I’m very happy," said Tom Sykes: Rea’s teammate even says he’s "even happier considering my physical condition, after a big crash yesterday. I thank my airbag, because I did a few barrels in the gravel on Monday and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I woke up when I saw that I was ready to leave ".
Note also that Loris Baz,, ranks 9th in 1’31.54 less than a second from Rea.
"The test did not go badly", summed it up on the board: "yesterday morning we worked well, we improved with each outing, but in the afternoon things got complicated because of the wind This morning I had better sensations on the bike and we were able to reduce the gap a little on the leaders, then in the afternoon the temperatures rose and I was able to do a race simulation over 15 laps Overall I can say I am confident ".
- Loris Baz interview :
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