IN
THE
WIND
P34
FINAL EUROPEAN TESTING FUN
T
he last European-based win-
ter test of the new season
was heralded as the first real test
of the new season, with all of the
top contenders in the new era of
World Superbike at Jerez to see
how fast they and their rivals are.
With perfect sunny weather for
both days of testing—unlike pre-
vious Portimao and Motorland
Aragon outings—the track condi-
tions were optimum.
There was, however, a general
air of surprise that the pace of
the supposed Evo and full spec
hybrid World Superbike machin-
ery was just as good as the much
freer regulations of old.
Davide Giugliano on the Aru-
ba.it Ducati Panigale was fastest,
after the qualifying tire bin had
been dipped into by many of the
top runners. Even with qualifying
rears, Giugliano's 1:39.332 was
remarkable.
The pace of the Factory Kawa-
saki riders, Tom Sykes and Jona-
than Rea was almost as impres-
sive, with both under the 1:39
barrier. As their four-cylinders
have lost even more from the top-
end than the Ducatis, their com-
bined prowess could be seen
as even more significant in the
guessing game of how the twins
will fare over the fours.
Giugliano's teammate Chaz Da-
vies was fourth fastest on day two,
just into the 1:40s, while fifth place
rider Leon Haslam showed the
new Aprilia was not so far behind
the old full factory team's version.
Crescent Suzuki's Alex Lowes
was just behind Haslam with a
1:40.159, and the top Honda, in
the absence of early faller Sylvain
Guintoli, proved to be Michael
van der Mark, just 1.2 seconds
from the lead rider as he moves
up from World Supersport to Su-
perbike this season.
Althea Racing Ducati privateer
Nico Terol made real progress
from his previous test to be only 1.5
seconds off the flying Giugliano.
Another former GP rider turned
World Superbike warrior Randy
De Puniet on the Crescent Su-
zuki was ninth in his second test
session at Jerez on his GSX-
R1000. The top 10 was rounded
out by former Ducati full-time test
rider Matteo Baiocco on the Al-
thea Racing Ducati.
Gordon Ritchie
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
GOLD
&
GOOSE
Davide Giugliano
ends the final
World Superbike
pre-season test in
Europe on top.
