As temperatures rise at PI testsDouble world champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) trimmed 0.3 seconds off his first day lap time during a hot second day of SBK testing at Phillip Island, leading the SBK pack home once more.
He continued to work on chassis set-up
improvements on the factory 1098 F08 machine, and ran tyres from the harder end of the spectrum for the most part. Bumps on the track surface since the last visit of SBK teams and a much hotter track surface than the first day conspired to keep the overall times in check. Nonetheless, improvements were found by the top riders, who all now have one final day to set even faster times, before the test winds-up, on Thursday 10th January.
Bayliss, who set a 1'32.2 was harried by a Japanese duo once more, as Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki) set a 1'32.3, with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) on a 1'32.4, 0.4 seconds better than his personal first day highlight.
Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) secured a strong fourth place on the stopwatches, with a 1'32.6 paving the way for his final day assault. Ruben Xaus (Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven) was even more impressive, as he does not have access to development tyres at this test, taking his all-new machine to an equal fifth best time of 1'32.7. Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) was the rider on the same pace as Xaus, some 0.2 seconds ahead of Ducati Sterilgarda Go Eleven rider Max Biaggi.
Fonsi Nieto (Alstare Suzuki) improved his best time of the test by 0.2 seconds today, despite encountering set-up issues with his machinery. Sitting on the same time, but arguably in a more impressive fashion, was Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) taking the powerful new Kawasaki up a notch in development. Makoto Tamada (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) could not quite keep pace with his new peers, setting a best of 1'35.5.
Illness, suspected to be laryngitis, prevented the third Alstare Suzuki rider, Max Neukirchner, from competing today, but he hopes to return to action on the final day.
WORLD SUPERSPORT
Broc Parkes (Yamaha WSSP Team) was once more the fastest man in the 600cc division, his 1'34.8 heading off rookie WSS rider Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) who ended up with a 1'35.0, despite falling at one stage.
His team-mate Andrew Pitt set a 1'35.3; Stiggy Motorsports Honda rider Josh Brookes a 1'35.8. Class rookie Chris Walker (GIL Kawasaki) scored a 1'36.0 lap, equalling Parkes' team-mate Fabien Foret today. Despite setting just a handful of laps, Garry McCoy was immediately fast on the Triumph triple again, until a technical problem put him back in the garage for much of the allotted test time.
Katsuaki Fujiwara and Robbin Harms rounded out the WSS order on day two, and with temperatures predicted to be even hotter in the last day than the previous two, most riders would be looking to set their best of test lap time in the cooler morning hours on Thursday.
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:
1. Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1'32”2 (99 laps)
2. Kagayama (Jap-Suzuki) 1'32”3
3. Haga (Jap-Yamaha) 1'32”4
4. Fabrizio (Ita-Ducati) 1'32”6 (105)
5. Xaus (Spa-Ducati) 1'32”7 (51)
6. Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1'32”7 (70)
7. Biaggi (Ita-Ducati) 1'32”9 (80)
8. Laconi (Fra-Kawasaki) 1'33”0 (88)
9. Nieto (Spa-Suzuki) 1'33”0 (71)
10. Tamada (Jap-Kawasaki) 1'35”5 (77)
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP:
1. Parkes (Aus-Yamaha) 1'34”8
2. Rea (GB-Honda) 1'35”0
3. Pitt (Aus-Honda) 1'35”3
4. Brookes (Aus-Honda) 1'35”8
5. Foret (Fra-Yamaha) 1'36”0
6. Walker (GB-Kawasaki) 1'36”0
7. McCoy (Aus-Triumph) 1'36”2
8. Fujiwara (Jap-Kawasaki) 1'36”7
9. Harms (Dan-Honda) 1'37”0
SBK Press Office
