Toprak Tops
The First
WorldSBK
Test Of 2023
T
he top-three riders from the
2022 season ended up leading
the first 2023 test session at Jerez
in Spain, over what were to two dry
but occasionally cold days.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Ya-
maha) was fastest of all, despite
a fall that heavily damaged his
bike, including a new swingarm
on the final day. His fastest lap
was a 1:38.269.
Next up, just 0.083 seconds
back was Jonathan Rea (Kawa-
saki Racing Team), setting less
than 100 laps over two days be-
cause the track surface was too
cool to use for his team's testing
needs at certain times of day.
The 2022 World Champion, Al-
varo Bautista (Aruba Racing Ducati)
took the lightly revamped engine in-
side his official Panigale V4 R chas-
sis to third-best time overall, just a
day after attending the combined
MotoGP/WorldSBK team launch at
the high-end ski resort of Madonna
di Campiglio in Italy.
The Ducati champ also had an
early fall, but he still managed
to set a total of 174 laps—more
than any other rider on show. He
ran his number 1 plate, of course,
for the first time. His bike has
now got bigger, almost double
decker, winglets and a different
exhaust compared to 2022.
Behind the top three, and over
0.3 seconds adrift was Bau-
tista's teammate, Michael Ruben
Rinaldi.
A big gap in pace saw Alex
Lowes fifth fastest on the second
KRT machine, over 0.9 seconds
from Razgatlioglu.
In a year with a fresh intake of
more-than-promising rookie rid-
ers, two-time WorldSSP champ
and MotoE championship-winner,
Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yama-
ha) was sixth, pipping the factory
Yamaha of Andrea Locatelli after
two days of preseason competi-
tion. Aegerter was top Indepen-
dent rider in this first dry weather
full-on test.
Recent MotoGP, Dakar and Mo-
toAmerica rider, Danilo Petrucci,
took little time to settle into his
main 2023 role, going eighth on
his Barni Spark Ducati. He was
one place ahead of the first fac-
tory HRC Honda of Iker Lecuona.
Another rookie rider Remy
Gardner (GRT Yamaha) put
himself into the top 10, and just
under 1.2 seconds off the very
best in this early test of his and
many other new riders' mettle.
The top BMW rider was Loris Baz,
in 11th place for the new look Bono-
vo Action BMW squad. He ended up
one place ahead of the official—and
aerodynamically updated—M 1000
RR of Scott Redding.
There were other WorldSBK
rookies around, with Lorenzo
Baldassari (GMT94) 18th.
Top WorldSSP Rider was
Niccolo Bulega (Aruba Racing
Ducati) 21st overall, with Can
Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
22nd.
Next challenge for many, and
for some new faces too, will be
Portimao for more private tests
between January 31-February 1.
Then they all head to Australia
for round one of the season in
the last weekend in February.
Gordon Ritchie
Jerez WorldSBK Test (Overall):
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yam) 1:38.269
2. Jonathan Rea (Kaw) +0.083
3. Alvaro Bautista (Duc) +0.180
4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Duci) +0.377
5. Alex Lowes (Kaw) +0.906
IN
THE
WIND
P40
Toprak Razgatlioglu topped
the test in his usual tire-
torturing technique.
