With the 2011 World Superbike season already tucked away after the final round at Portimao, Monday was dedicated to the journalists who got a chance to ride the Superbike machines, but Tuesday was about the riders again and preparing for the upcoming 2012 season.
Several riders have switched teams as we already know, and there was definitely some excitement in the paddock as the riders got their first taste of their new machines.
New Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty stunned the field as he climbed aboard the Aprilia RSV4 (it was Pata Racing’s spec bike) for the first time to take home the best time at the end of the day.
The Irishman stopped the unofficial clock at 1′42.
8 on a hard rear race tire.
Jonathan Rea was second fastest and just a tenth of a second from Laverty and he tested the 2011 and 2012 versions of the Honda CBR1000RR.
Hiroshi Aoyama who will be in World Superbikes next season with Rea, is busy this weekend at Sepang in his penultimate MotoGP race for Gresini Honda.
Marco Melandri debuted on the BMW S1000RR and he was eighth fastest, he and team mate Leon Haslam (4th) tested both the 2011 and 2012 versions of the German machine.
The new Kawasaki Racing Team looks set to keep both Joan Lascorz and Tom Sykes next season, as Lascorz posted the third best time, while the English rider was sixth.
New BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike rider Michel Fabrizio started his new adventure with the Italian team by crashing out and bending the S1000RR’s frame and finished 10th.
Effenbert Liberty Racing regular riders Smrz and Guintoli weren’t present, but the Czech team gave Maxime Berger and Canadian Superbike champion Brett McCormick, who raced in the final two rounds of the FIM Superstock championship some time on their bikes.
Unofficial times (no transponders) courtesy of WSBK website: 1.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) 1′42.
8 2.
Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) 1′42.
9 3.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) 1′42.
9 4.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1′43.
2 5.
Maxime Berger (Effenbert Liberty Ducati) 1′43.
3 6.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) 1′43.
3 7.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike) 1′43.
4 8.
Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1′43.
7 9.
Brett McCormick (Effenbert Ducati) 1′44.
2 10.
Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike) 1′44.
4