Smrz tops World Superbike testing

From worldsbk.com

Jakub Smrz proved to be the fastest rider in official Infront Motor Sports pre-season testing at Portimao. After three days of changeable weather conditions between Wednesday and Friday, the Effenbert-Liberty man's time of 1:43.503 remained unbeaten throughout, giving the Czech-based Ducati team a great start to life in WSBK racing.

"We brought two bikes here, one with almost the set-up as the one I used for a while last year and one set up like the factory team of last year," Smrz explained. "That had some different things with geometry, gearing, swingarm and so on and I was fastest on that one on the first day.

"The other two days there was not so much do, because the conditions were not fully dry, not fully wet, most of the time. The team worked perfectly and it is great for them to start the season being fastest in this test."

In the overall three-day rankings, Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) was second, and WSBK rookie Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) third, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) a confident fourth.

Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) filled the top five places, with World Champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) sixth, despite only taking to the track on the dry first day.

Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) headed off Smrz's team-mate Sylvain Guintoli for seventh, despite crashing twice in the middle day.

Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) was ninth and new WSBK rider Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) beat some established names to go 10th quickest.

Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) was the fastest World Supersport rider in the final session on Friday with a 1:48.893, riding on a track that was still affected by earlier rainfall.

The overall fastest rider, therefore, was Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda). Lowes set a 1:45.845 on Wednesday, when track conditions were at their best. He fell earlier Friday, hurting his foot and hand, but continuing to ride in the afternoon session.

James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) was second fastest on track in the final WSS session, while Alexander Lundh (Cresto Guide Racing Team) was third quickest.

Superbike Combined Times
1. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:43.503
2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:43.676
3. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:43.707
4. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:43.770
5. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1:43.789
6. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:43.840
7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:43.879
8. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1:44.369
9. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:44.446
10. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:44.752
11. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1:44.764
12. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:44.857
13. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1:44.885
14. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1:44.886
15. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:45.461
16. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1:45.678