WSBK – WSBK 2016: Hayden and Reiterberger score practice in Jerez – Hayden and Reiterberger score practice

WSBK 2016: Hayden and Reiterberger score tryouts in Jerez

WSBK - WSBK 2016: Hayden and Reiterberger score practice in Jerez - Hayden and Reiterberger score practice

The main World Superbike teams are doing their final testing this week on the Jerez circuit. If the champion Rea (Kawasaki) remains the fastest, the “ rookies ” Hayden (Honda) and Reiterberger (BMW) also stand out ! Report.

Hayden and Reiterberger score the tries

Limited last year to two short weeks due to the, the winter break in World Superbike returns this year to its usual format: no tests between mid-December and mid-January. The tests organized this week in Jerez (Spain) are therefore for many the last of the year !

After the first three days, Jonathan Rea is again at the top of the timesheets. On Tuesday, the world champion even broke the track record in the WSBK category by almost two tenths of a second (Sykes Superpole last September in 1’40.292).

The ruthless "JR" benefited yesterday (Wednesday) from a day of relaxation, but his tests – his exploits! – are not yet finished: back on the Andalusian track today and tomorrow, the "Number One" will not comment on his work until Friday evening…

While waiting for the official declarations of Jonathan – and those of his little comrades -, Site invites its readers to discover the times achieved during the "first half" by the many pilots participating in these last tests of the year 2015…

In the tempo of "Johnny" Monday, Tom Sykes was left behind by his teammate the next day: the No. 66 Kawasaki improved his time only 4 tenths of a second between the first two days, against 7 tenths for Rea.

In terms of progress, however, the two Kawasaki officials are beaten – quite logically – by a newcomer: Markus Reiterberger, the double German Superbike champion (read our) entered next season by the BMW Althea team. !

In the space of 24 hours, the German pilot lowered his stopwatch by a second and a half. More impressive still, "Reiti" ends these tests with one breath of a "Major Tom" known for his cannon tricks … Tuesday evening, the Germanic took stock of his first tests.

"I was very fast today", he admits,"but we have a lot of work to do to improve in all areas and become competitive. I hope I could improve from the next tests in Vallelunga", scheduled for December 14.

Eclipsed by his brand new teammate at BMW Althea, Jordi Torres failed to go below the 1’41 mark. The Spanish n ° 81, however, knows the route of Jerez on the tip of the gloves and won the title of best rookie of the 2015 season….

He still deserves congratulations from the MNC jury: the former Aprilia Red Devils team rider (alongside Leon Haslam, who is still looking for a handlebar for 2016 …) was riding the BMW S1000RR for the very first time. by Superbike.

The performance of the "Spanish Elvis" is ultimately quite encouraging since he finishes a few seconds behind his new German teammate for whom the S1000RR – with the engine and electronics developed by BMW engineers – has almost no secrets.

"Overall I would say it went well because we did a good job", concludes Torres."We looked for a solution to the issues identified at the start of the test and finding it, on a new bike, must mean we are on the right track.".

Like Markus, Jordi considers that there is still a lot to do, "but we will soon be competitive and I want to do my best to learn to ride a motorcycle that is totally different from the ones I have ridden before".

While the two BMW riders were packing up and those from Kawasaki posed a well-deserved RTT day, their colleagues from Ducati and Honda (from World Superbike and MotoGP!) Got down to work on Wednesday. !

And this time again, a rookie in the WSBK category stood out … For his second outing on the good – but old – CBR1000RR, Nicky Hayden took first place in the standings of the third day of testing !

Of course, champions Rea (2015) and Sykes (2013) were absent yesterday, but 2015 vice-world champion Davies was present. At the end of their first day, Nicky was ahead "Chazie" by 8 hundredths of a second and was half a second behind the fastest time posted by Rea on Monday..

Although fully aware that he does not have the best weapon on the field, the good little soldier Hayden is already proving to his new Honda Ten Kate team that he will go straight – and quickly – this season, while awaiting the succession of the Fireblade. in 2017…

"Yes of course (the new Honda) was one of the big attractive points for me", Nicky recently told our Australian colleagues from MC News. Titled in the premier category in 2006, the "Kentucky Kid" aims for a double in the WSBK, a world first. But does he necessarily have to wait for the new CBR for that? Mystery and Pirelli Balls…

Replacing Davide Giugliano at the end of the season and during the first autumn tests, Xavi Fores turned Wednesday on his Panigale prepared by the Barni team. The 2014 IDM champion only completed 39 laps but is in third place.

Fourth fastest yesterday, Leon Camier recovered his factory MV Agusta, entrusted the first two days of the week to Marco Melandri. The Italian test pilot having driven without a transponder on the F4 RR, it is impossible to judge his performance.

"It was really cool driving the MV Agusta! The team did an amazing job !", tweeted Tuesday evening on Twitter the famous" Hedgehog of Ravenna ", without more details on his feelings or his times during the two days.

A second Italian was also making his comeback in World Superbike: Davide Giugliano, deprived of Panigale R since last July and his severe fall at Laguna Seca. The n ° 34 of the Rouges de Boulogne covered the 4423 meters of the circuit in 1’42.525.

Author of a similar time, Michael van den Mark completed only 30 laps yesterday, before retiring due to too much pain in his right arm. 2014 Supersport World Champion Must Be Examined Today By Experts.

No luck either for Alex Lowes, who saw his last tests of 2015 cut short by a violent highside that occurred yesterday at the very end of the afternoon. "I just made a small mistake, maybe due to the drop in temperature of the track", admitted the English n ° 22, a little too hot, him…

The English Superbike champion (2013) happily comes out of his impressive caper with a "simple" dislocation of the left shoulder – the latter quickly regained its place thanks to the local medical team – and he will be able to take advantage of the break to recover all the mobility and strength of your arm.

"We had no luck with the weather in Aragon"recalls Alex."So I couldn’t wait to get down to work in Jerez for three full days in good conditions. It won’t, and my top priority should be my fitness and recovery from yesterday’s crash, but we’ve made some progress and I’m happy with the development so far.".

Still with the Blues of Iwata, Sylvain Guintoli continues his apprenticeship aboard the R1 Superbike. Yamaha indicates that our 2014 world champion completed 63 laps on Wednesday, but is keeping his – top ?! – lap times…

The Jerez tests are concluded tomorrow (Friday) and the lap times should go down further … The classification, meanwhile, will it change? Will a pilot finally succeed in dethroning Jonathan Rea? To find out, there is only one solution: stay connected !

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