Sykes quickest in testing on difficult day for Kawasaki

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Imola (Italy), Monday 2 April 2012 – Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) set quickest time in the official one-day Superbike test session at Imola, the day after the World Championship round dominated by Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing).

 

The day was marred by a serious crash for his Spanish team-mate Joan Lascorz, in the section between the Tosa curve and Piratella. The 27 year-old from Barcelona was immediately given circuit medical assistance and then taken by helicopter to Bologna hospital with a probable fractured vertebra.

 

Testing new Pirelli evolution tyres Sykes lapped in 1 minute 46.609 seconds, the new outright best lap for the Imola circuit. The 27 year-old Brit improved on both the Superpole time that he had set Saturday as well as his personal best in the race.

 

Tom Sykes: “Obviously it’s been difficult with the circumstances of Joan, he was just starting to go strong. Overall I’m satisfied, and it rubs salt in the wounds from yesterday because if the temperatures had been a bit higher we could have had a better run. I’ve just done a run on race tyres and I beat the outright circuit record in 46.6, beating my best on qualifying tyres and knocking point nine off my lap record. The Kawasaki has got a good base setting and we know we’re going in the right direction.”

 

There was good news for the Honda World Superbike Team, which after a tough weekend, placed Jonathan Rea in second position with a time of 1’47”121. British riders also claimed the next two slots, with Crescent Fixi Suzuki man Leon Camier in third with a 1’47”238, and Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad) in fourth, one day after scoring a double podium. Max Biaggi was fifth on the Aprilia RSV4 ahead of the Ducati Althea Racing of Carlos Checa.

 

Times: 1. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’46.609; 2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’47.121; 3. Camier L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’47.238; 4. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’47.257; 5. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’47.351; 6. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’47.430; 7. Melandri M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’47.779; 8. Laverty E. (IRL) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’47.848; 9. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’47.989; 10. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’48.011; 11. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’48.066; 12. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’48.149; 13. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’48.197; 14. Fabrizio M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’48.273; 15. Aoyama H. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1’48.484; 16. Aitchison M. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1’48.915; 17. Mercado L. (ARG) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’49.805; 18. Davies C. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’50.124; 19. Hopkins J. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’50.378.

 

World Supersport

 

Broc Parkes (Honda Ten Kate Racing Products) went quickest in World Supersport testing, ending up with a new Imola best lap of 1 minute 51.102 seconds. The Australian was able to make up for the disappointment he suffered during yesterday’s race when he had to come into the pits to change his rear tyre.

 

Broc Parkes: “I’m really impressed with the time that I did, it’s the fastest I’ve ever been around here and quite a bit faster than the lap record so we can feel confident now. We’re really happy that we made some good steps, this is our first test for the whole year and the bike’s starting to feel like mine.”

 

Moving up to second quickest was Frenchman Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) with a time of 1’51”431, ahead of Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda), who finished runner-up in Sunday’s race. Race winner Fabien Foret did not take part in the test on his Kawasaki Intermoto Step machine.

 

Times: 1. Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1’51.102; 2. Cluzel J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’51.431; 3. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’51.848; 4. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1’53.081; 5. Roccoli M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1’53.230; 6. Toth I. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1’53.240; 7. Quarmby R. (RSA) Honda CBR600RR 1’53.358; 8. Day J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’53.443; 9. Scholtz M. (RSA) Honda CBR600RR 1’53.56; 10. Jessopp M. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’54.142; 11. Caiani T. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 1’57.609; 12. Pasek A. (POL) Honda CBR600RR 1’57.918.