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Post by truenorth on Jan 29, 2022 3:41:02 GMT -8
Rea ends day 2 at Jerez fastest in KRT 1-2, Tuuli tops WorldSSP running Thursday, 27 January 2022 Despite only half a day of testing at Jerez, Jonathan Rea topped the timesheets ahead of teammate Alex Lowes as the Jerez test came to an end The two-day test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship came to a conclusion on Thursday with six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topping the timesheets as the only rider to lap in the 1’38s bracket across both days. Only three WorldSBK riders took to the track as Team HRC opted to miss day two of action after a “fantastic” test day on Wednesday. REA TOPS THE TIMESHEETS After sitting out Wednesday’s running, Rea also only took to the track around 13:00 Local Time on Thursday to complete half-a-day of action, but it did not stop him going straight to the top of the timesheets with a 1’38.851ss. Rea was able to complete 61 laps in his half-day of testing, lapping faster than teammate Alex Lowes by around 1.4 seconds. Lowes had spent Wednesday’s action focusing on the front of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR machine before switching his attention to the rear on Thursday as he looked to focus on corner exit improvements. Lowes completed 59 laps and posted a best lap time of 1’40.266s. Both Rea and Lowes were able to test Pirelli’s new-for-2022 SCQ tyre during their Thursday action. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the third Kawasaki rider on track and the final WorldSBK rider on Thursday, as the Frenchman continued his comeback from a scaphoid injury that forced him out of the end of the 2021 campaign. Mahias had some new components on his bike, with more to come including updates such as the gearbox and aerodynamics. Mahias also tested a new suspension at Jerez as Kawasaki Puccetti evaluates Öhlins suspension. He completed 64 laps with a best lap time of 1’40.542s. TUULI ON TOP IN WorldSSP Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) ended the day on top in the WorldSSP category after completing 45 laps. Running the old bike with a new engine in a hybrid, the Finn posted a best lap time of 1’42.341s as the sole full-time MV Agusta tester on track. He had been joined on Wednesday and part of Thursday by five-time Champion Kenan Sofuoglu after his nephew, Bahattin Sofuoglu, tested positive for COVID-19 before the test. Tuuli was followed by Turkish duo Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Kenan Sofuoglu, with the latter switching his attentions to Kawasaki Puccetti in the afternoon. With a new ruleset coming into force in WorldSSP for 2022, the team drafted in Sofuoglu to test out the new brake systems for the upcoming campaign including a new brake pump and disc. Sofuoglu took to the track on Öncü’s #61 Kawasaki ZX-6R machine, with the #61 bike completing 85 laps, the most of anyone, with a best time of 1’42.361s. Sofuoglu’s best recorded time, when he was with the MV Agusta machine, was a 1’43.774s after putting 30 laps to his name. Yari Montella, who is making his full-time debut in WorldSSP in 2022 for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, added 49 laps to his tally across the two-day test despite a few crashes for the Italian. He had a tumble at the final corner on Wednesday but was able to re-mount and continue riding, while he also had two more crashes today including one at Turn 10. Despite this, he posted a best time of 1’43.875ss on an eventful two days for the Italian. WorldSSP rookie Ben Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) and teammate Jeffrey Buis added 44 and 49 laps to their experience respectively on Thursday, with Australian rider Currie riding on track despite a wrist injury he noticed on Wednesday; he had some physio on Wednesday evening to ensure he was able to ride again on Thursday. His best time was a 1’44.606s while Buis, who took part in the final two rounds of WorldSSP in 2021, was around one second slower. Ana Carrasco was also on track at Jerez, testing a WorldSSP machine for the first time, completing 52 laps with a best lap time of 1’47.553s. WorldSBK times from day two at Jerez: 1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing team WorldSBK) 1’38.851s, 61 laps 2. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.266s, 59 laps 3. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’40.542s, 64 laps WorldSSP times from day two at Jerez: 1. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 1’42.341s, 45 laps 2. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’42.361s 3. Kenan Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 1’43.774s, 30 laps 4. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’43.875s, 59 laps 5. Benjamin Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) 1’44.606s, 44 laps 6. Jeffrey Buis (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) 1’45.679s, 49 laps 7. Ana Carrasco 1’47.553s, 52 laps
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Post by truenorth on Feb 8, 2022 6:55:56 GMT -8
Rea and Razgatlioglu just a tenth apart as Portimao test gets underway Tuesday, 8 February 2022 The top two from 2021 continued where they left off by setting the pace at the first test with the pair on track together The two-day test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway on Tuesday morning at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with nothing to separate the top two from 2021. Six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) edged out reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) by just one tenth of a second. The Portimao test marks the first time Rea and Razgatligolu have shared a track since the season-ending and title-deciding Indonesian Round. Rea completed 31 laps as he started his third test of the off-season with a time of 1’40.621s, the fastest time in the morning session and quicker than the fastest race lap record at the circuit, with KRT and Rea looking to confirm items tested at Jerez in both December and January at a different circuit. Rea has some new chassis components that he needs to understand as well as electronic components. Teammate Lowes was fifth fastest with a 1’41.527s, adding 33 laps to his name, as he focused on some modifications to the rear of his ZX-10RR. On his first appearance on a YZF-R1 machine since the 2021 season finale, Razgatlioglu posted a time of 1’40.722s, with 45 laps under his belt as he looks to start 2022 in the best possible fashion. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was third fastest with a 1’41.440s with the Italian, like Razgatlioglu, on his first appearance of the year. Both Pata Yamaha riders are using the test to get back up to speed having not ridden their race machine since November 2021, with the team running the 2021 spec bike with electronic updates and new items related to the rider position. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) started his second test since his return to Ducati with the fourth fastest time, with a best of 1’41.510s, adding 40 laps to his tally. Bautista’s main focus for this test was to continue re-adapting to the Ducati Panigale V4 R as well as trying Pirelli’s new SCQ tyres, with the Italian manufacturer bringing two new SCQ solutions to Portimao. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi, returning to the bike for the first time since sustaining an injury in Indonesia, posted a 1’42.442s to claim sixth place. The Italian will try a new swingarm throughout the test with comparisons to the 2021 version to be drawn in order to determine the best solution. WorldSBK debutant Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was seventh fastest as he got his first taste of the Panigale V4 R, with the German rider completing 33 laps in the first morning of his first test. His best time was a 1’43.835s as Oettl looked to adapt to WorldSBK machinery. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) will try some chassis items and new items to help with his position on the bike including a new seat and footpegs. Ponsson was the eighth-fastest WorldSBK rider with a 1’44.140s with 15 laps to his name. Another WorldSBK rookie, Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounded out the WorldSBK field on his first time on a WorldSBK machine. He also completed 33 laps on his return from injury sustained in a WorldSSP crash at Magny-Cours with a best time of 1’45.349s. In WorldSSP, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was top in the morning session with a 1’45.726s to his name in the Italian’s second test on the Ducati Panigale V2 having made his WorldSSP debut in a November test. With 44 laps to his name, Bulega was over two seconds clear of Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing) in second place with 26 laps completed. Oliver Bayliss (Barni Spark Racing Team) could only manage nine laps in the morning session after a Turn 5 crash early on in the day. His best time was a 1’48.373s on his debut with the team and the Ducati machine. WorldSBK times at 13:30 Local Time 1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.621s, 31 laps 2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’40.722s, 45 laps 3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’41.440s, 48 laps 4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.510s, 40 laps 5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’41.527s, 33 laps 6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’42.442s, 45 laps 7. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) 1’43.835s, 33 laps 8. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) 1.44’140s, 15 laps 9. Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’45.349s, 33 laps
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Post by truenorth on Feb 16, 2022 8:31:23 GMT -8
At the Portimao tests, Johnny made fun of his future: money does not entirely make the Cannibal happy, because the knots to be solved are very different and come from afar
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Post by truenorth on Feb 22, 2022 9:14:21 GMT -8
The dependable: what does a rider assistant do in WorldSBK? Tuesday, 22 February 2022 Varying journeys, same objectives: meet the people holding the fort and calling for calm on the riders’ side Once upon a time, in a racing galaxy very, very near at hand, the role of ‘rider assistant’ was almost non-existent. Sure, some riders and some teams had people involved who would help the riders out, but that would often be people who had other roles to play or who were simply friends or family, just lending a hand. Now in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, they’re commonplace, but what exactly does a WorldSBK rider assistant do? In the past most riders were fastidious with preparation of their own riding kit and drinks, etc., or simply had no choice in the matter if they were just too busy. But increasingly riders’ assistants have become just that - full-time assistants, who basically look after almost everything non-technical during a race weekend to let their rider get on with riding, debriefs, thinking about riding, sleeping, riding some more, thinking about how to win some more… Possibly the most visible Rider’s Assistant is Jonathan Rea’s long-time helper and Motorhome driver, Kevin Havenhand. Particularly visible not just because he is as close to Jonathan in practice sessions and races as social distancing rules allow, but because he is a very tall bloke in real life, and seemingly always on the screen because JR is a six-times champion. ‘Kev’, as he is known to Jonathan and all, had a very different career path in mind when left school in England, but it was still a path that needed dedication and focus. And a good aim would have been useful too… “To cut a long story short I spent 26 years in the British Army,” said Kev. “I was commissioned through the ranks. I went as high as I could as a soldier and then got commissioned to Captain.” Eventually not being able to go on operational tours after being a ‘hands-on’ solder for so long, Kev grew bored in the desk job he inevitably had to do after promotion and got a bit disillusioned. Starting off as Jonathan’s Motorhome driver mostly, Kev’s restlessness waiting around to drive him again on race weekends saw him ask Ronald Ten Kate if he had any jobs going in hospitality. He did, so Kev’s approach to a race weekend saw him setting up Jonathan’s motorhome on a Tuesday, working in the Ten Kate Honda hospitality all weekend, then packing up the motorhome on Monday, to head home or to the next race. With everything in racing so structured, and so many small details all having to be done when needed, changing weather or other challenges needing to be reacted to, Kev’s army experience can come in useful. “The British Army works on drills, a drill for everything,” said Kev. “Jonathan likes everything the same - leathers, helmets, everything laid out exactly the same. Unless he wants to change things and tells me so, there is no deviation.” On the opposite end of the spectrum of how to end up in the same job but come from a very different direction, is Alvaro Bautista’s rider assistant, Mario. He and Alvaro aren’t just in an employer/employee duality - they grew up together in their home town of Talavera de la Reina, located to the west of Madrid. They were racing pocket bikes together, from about four years of age! Their fathers were even friends before either Alvaro or Mario showed up. Both Mario and Alvaro still live in the same town they grew up in: “I went to work with Alvaro in GPs in 2013, and continued since then,” said Mario. “My work in the race is to make sure that Alvaro is only thinking about the race. The suits, boots, helmets, I look after. I have rapid service arranged with Scorpion helmets, Sidi, etc, to make sure it is ready all the time.” As well as doing this travelling job, Mario also has his own paint shop back home, where he works between races. “I paint helmets, cars, bikes, all,” said Mario. One quirk of Mario’s working life with his old mate Alvaro is that although he travels everywhere with him, only Alvaro drives the hire cars. Even if it is for hours at a time to get to races or airports, after a long trip. “I am only the co-driver, looking at the map on the phone shouting, ‘Left! Right! Left? Stop!’” Another kind of almost accidental professional rider assistant is Alex Lowes’ guy, Dave ‘Rocky’ Ryan. He’s as much Alex’s personal friend as an employee, but there is really no old-timers motorcycle connection. Rocky is a recently retired pro boxer, a fighter. He first met Alex Lowes in the gym they both worked out in, and they both had the same strength and conditioning coach, Kirk Gibbons. “We used to train together in the mornings,” said Rocky. “At the beginning I probably knew zero about bike racing, but we ended up spending a lot of time together, playing golf, going out for meals with friends. I am a few years older than Al - although I don’t look it - and I said, ‘when I retire from boxing I will come and travel with you, help you out with whatever you do, be your assistant.’ I think 2016 was my last fight and from 2017 that is what I have done. Now retired from professional boxing, this is Ryan’s full-time job, effectively. Rocky’s post-boxing job works in well with his family life, even though he can be away for long periods of time. And never underestimate the gap left in the life of any pro-sportsperson when they retire. “I would say 100%, this has helped a lot. I just stopped boxing and had nothing to do.” Michael van der Mark is a rider Simon Bentley has known for a long time, even though they just started together this season in their new roles - him as factory BMW rider and Simon his rider assistant. “I have known Michael for years, and when I say years, I mean going back to his STK600 days. My team was always racing against him until he moved up out of Supersport and then he started his Superbike career. But I had always been really good friends with him. Bentley says the job is getting more complex, not less. “The obvious thing you can see is preparing all their equipment, you are there for them on the grid, and they have their own little routines. Modern riding equipment… there is lot more tech in them, air bags that need charging and checking and changing. Obviously also keeping things presentable, making sure the riders are hydrated, make sure they get a recovery drink and get enough hydration every day. Sometimes it is also silly little things like ‘would you be able to take these tickets down to the car park for me?’ Things like that. The more time you can take from them the more they can spend with the crew chief. They don’t need stress.” The rider is the boss and the Rider’s Assistant is not, of course, but it appears that whatever the rider needs most is somebody who is there when they are needed, making their potentially stressful weekends go like clockwork and without interruption or added drama. In other words, someone who is dependable.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 3, 2022 9:19:05 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2022 9:26:29 GMT -8
Triumph 765 Street Triple gets first outing at Portimao test ahead of 2022 WorldSSP campaign The British manufacturer is returning to the Championship for 2022 with the introduction of a new ruleset The introduction of a new ruleset in the FIM Supersport World Championship has brought Triumph back to the Championship for the first time since 2018, and the Triumph Street Triple RS 765 made its debut on track ahead of the season starting. Dynavolt Triumph conducted a two-day at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with rider Hannes Soomer. Soomer was the sole Dynavolt Triumph rider on track in southern Portugal as teammate Stefano Manzi was recovering after undergoing surgery on shoulder ligaments after injuring them during a training session in Italy. The first day of the test was interrupted by rain for Soomer, testing for his new team for the first time and on a Triumph for the first time. The weather improved for the second day of action and Estonian rider Soomer was able to take full advantage of this to rack up over 100 laps over the two days of testing as he adjusts to his new team and manufacturer for the 2022 season. Discussing the test, Soomer said: “It was a productive first test with the new bike, with the new team. The first day was a bit disappointing with the weather, we didn’t get as many laps as we would have wanted. I’m just starting to understand the bike and how it wants to be ridden to go fast and we are not there yet, but we are on the right way. We will continue this same work in the next test.” Team Manager Simon Buckmaster revealed the bike had changed compared to when it ran in the British championship in 2021, as well as when Manzi will return to the track. He said: “It’s been a good first test with Hannes, his first time on the Dynavolt Triumph 765 Street Triple. The first day we lost a lot of track time with the rain and when it wasn’t raining there were still damp patches but day two was a good dry day and we learned a lot. We finished up the test with quite a different set up to last year’s riders. We tried some different settings to get Hannes comfortable and he’s starting to adapt to the Dynavolt Triumph. The bike ran absolutely flawlessly, no problems and that’s a great job by the boys. Hannes is working very well with the team so we’re all quite pleased. Now we go to Aragon for our second test, still without Stefano Manzi but he will benefit from the last private test at Estoril and the official pre-race test on the Monday and Tuesday before the race at Aragon.”
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2022 10:50:26 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 16, 2022 8:06:38 GMT -8
In WorldSBK testing at circuitomisano, former MotoAmerica Superbike rider Garrett Gerloff is fastest in the first day's morning session while lorisbaz, who competed in last year's MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, goes fifth-fastest.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 16, 2022 9:58:19 GMT -8
Bautista ends day one at Misano on top for Ducati in WorldSBK test, only rider in 1’33s bracket The Spanish rider was the only rider to lap in the 1’33s during the opening day for the Misano test Day one of the two-day test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” came to a close with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at the top of the timesheets for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field. The Spanish rider, on the Ducati Panigale V4 R, lapped in the 1’33s bracket making it the fastest he had ever lapped around the Italian venue. Bautista’s first test at Misano since returning to Ducati ended up with him on top of the timesheets with a 1’33.983s lap time; more than a second faster from his Tissot Superpole time in 2019 when he last raced for Ducati at this venue. Ducati had some new components to test on the chassis of their Panigale V4 R, a swingarm first tested in Portimao and some electronic settings. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi, winner of two races in 2021 at Misano, was third fastest and around half-a-second behind Bautista. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the fastest Independent rider on track, and second overall, despite a crash early on in the afternoon session at Turn 8. The American, whose GRT Yamaha squad were focussing on electronic settings on the YZF-R1 machine throughout the day, posted a best lap time of 1’34.376s. Gerloff’s teammate, Kohta Nozane, was ninth fastest on the opening day of the test with a 1’35.455s. It was a good first test day of 2022 for Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) as the Frenchman posted the fourth fastest lap time, a 1’34.917s on the BMW M 1000 RR. The satellite BMW squad had some new components from BMW to try out through the test and teammate Laverty, with Bonovo Action expanding to two bikes for 2022, was eighth fastest and three tenths away from his teammate. Rookie Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) had another strong day of testing ahead of his maiden campaign as he claimed fifth place on the opening day at Misano. Oettl, who “surprised” team boss Denis Sacchetti in a Portimao test, and Team GoEleven focussed on ergonomics of the bike during the test as well as testing a new fork and exhaust. Oettl’s best time was a 1’34.951s. Another Independent rider showed strong pace on day one as Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed sixth place on his ZX-10RR. Mahias continued developing Öhlins suspension on his bike after the team switched suppliers for 2022 as well as a new clutch, with the Frenchman posting a best time of 1’35.062s. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) focussed on the braking of his Panigale V4 R machine and finished seventh in the standings at Misano after posting a 1’35.188s. Scott Redding was the sole BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider on track due to Michael van der Mark’s injury and the British rider rounded out the top ten on his M 1000 RR machine as he got to use a reconfigured fuel tank and subframe, as well as a final fix to the 2022 engine. The new BMW recruited posted a best time of 1’35.592s as he continues to adjust from a V4 engine to an inline four machine. French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) ran back-to-back chassis tests between his old and new chassis during day one of the test at Misano, with a best lap time of 1’35.812s as he gears up for a second campaign with the family run team. He was ahead of Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) as the Sammarinese rider continued his adjustment to WorldSBK, posting a best time of 1’35.824s. In WorldSSP, Turkish star Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) topped the timesheets as he tested brake discs and bumps on his Kawasaki ZX-6R machine as well as updated suspension. Öncü did have a crash in the morning session at the penultimate corner but his time of a 1’37.832s was three tenths faster than the race lap record set in 2018 by Sandro Cortese, who set a 1’38.193s. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was second in the standings as he also went under Cortese’s race lap record time, posting a 1’37.972s. Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was third in the WorldSSP standings with a best lap of 1’39.214s, around 1.4s slower than teammate Öncü with Montella gearing up for his rookie campaign. Oli Bayliss (Barni Spark Racing Team) was fourth as he returned from a fractured ankle sustained at the Portimao test as he posted a 1’40.398s while Maximilian Kofler’s (CM Racing) best time was 1’40.465s. WorldSBK teams from day one at Misano 1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’33.983s, 70 laps 2. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’34.376s, 67 laps 3. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’34.461s, 56 laps 4. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’34.917s, 51 laps 5. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) 1’34.951s, 62 laps 6. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’35.062s, 38 laps 7. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 1’35.188s, 63 laps 8. Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’35.259s, 55 laps 9. Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’35.455s, 59 laps 10. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’35.592s, 44 laps 11. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) 1’35.812s, 66 laps 12. Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’35.824s, 52 laps
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Post by truenorth on Mar 23, 2022 6:25:48 GMT -8
Toprak Razgatlioglu could switch from SBK to MotoGP. Lin Jarvis, director of Yamaha, awaits Fabio Quartararo's decision.
Gerloff finishes first morning of testing being the fastest and the only #WorldSBK rider in the 1'41s bracket. toprak_tr54 and 19Bautista are very close to the top while alocatelli55 and michaelrinaldi have made a step forward
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Post by truenorth on Mar 27, 2022 6:32:54 GMT -8
CATALUNYA TEST TECH REVIEW: exhausts, swingarms and brake ducts on display All five factory teams were testing new components throughout the two-day Catalunya test, the penultimate test before racing gets underway With racing in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship getting underway in just a couple of weeks, all five manufacturers gathered at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the penultimate test before the season begins. Each factory had new items on display throughout the test, from the back of the bike to the front as they go in search of their ultimate performance. YAMAHA: new exhausts and material under the seat A new exhaust featured on the Yamaha YZF-R1 machines at the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK squad as the Japanese manufacturer aim to retain the three titles they won in 2021. The angle of the exhaust is steeper while the spring is now situated under the bike to help improve top speed. Another new component on the Yamaha is the material under the seat. While it had previously been a mix of carbon and aluminium, the 2022 version is all carbon. Yamaha have also been looking at making steps with their electronics package in 2022, with the Catalunya test including more testing of this to refine it ahead of racing, while three accelerometers were fitted to the bike for additional data. Yamaha have been trying a short and long swingarm throughout the test as part of their development. KAWASAKI: fins for Rea, forks for Lowes Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK duo Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes continued their off-season testing programme with more new components during the test. Six-time Champion Rea tried the fins on the fuel tank that teammate Lowes has used, although he wasn’t a fan of them. Rea also tried some small components, including with the clutch, while teammate Lowes had a similar programme. On his ZX-10RR was a slightly different front fork as he goes in search of mechanical grip. HONDA: new exhaust and a double brake duct Team HRC spent a bit of time looking at cooling their brakes in the hotter conditions for the summer. Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, on day one, had a double brake duct design to assist cooling on a hard-braking circuit; with the same venue hosting the Catalunya Round in September. The team also tried out a slightly modified exhaust system on their CBR1000RR-R, looking for ultimate performance ahead of the season starting. The team have gone under something a revolution over the winter with all-rookie line-up Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, switching to Nissin brakes from Brembo and to Showa suspension from Öhlins. BMW: new brake callipers and working on the electronics At German manufacturer BMW, the team were able to try out new brake callipers from suppliers Nissin, looking for their best setup for the 2022 season. Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) also revealed that he had worked on some traction control strategies on day one of the test, with BMW constantly evolving their in-house electronics system. DUCATI: refining the new swingarm, items inside the front fork At previous tests, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad have used a new swingarm on their Ducati Panigale V4 R. In Barcelona, a new variant of the swingarm was seen after Alvaro Bautista opted to work with the new design. The swingarms have different rigidity impacting on the bike. Bautista was also trying new items inside the front fork as he looks to get back to winning ways for the first time since 2019. At Independent Ducati outfit Team GoEleven, a new exhaust supplier came in over the winter with Spark now their supplier. Throughout testing, the team have been trialling Spark’s exhaust and continued this in Barcelona.
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Post by truenorth on Mar 27, 2022 6:36:49 GMT -8
Razgatlioglu tops rain-affected Day 2 at Catalunya as all five manufacturers make the top seven The rain fell and interrupted running on the second day at Catalunya as Razgatlioglu topped the times on Saturday The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continued testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with rain interrupting the second day of action in Spain. Reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) topped the timesheets with the fastest lap of the day coming before the rain fell which limited running as the time ticked over into the afternoon. FIVE MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP SEVEN In a show of what WorldSBK could be like in 2022, five manufacturers finished inside the top seven positions on day two. Razgatlioglu’s fastest time was a 1’40.571s as he completed 51 laps with Yamaha trialling a new exhaust throughout the test as well as continuing to work on their electronics package. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was 11th for the second day as he, like his teammate, worked on Yamaha’s electronics package. Both Razgatlioglu and Locatelli ventured out into the wet on Saturday. The Pata Yamaha team were not the only Yamaha representation in the top five, with Garrett Gerloff (GRT GYTR Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in fifth place. Gerloff was testing in the wet conditions to trial Yamaha’s electronics package. Teammate Kohta Nozane also ventured out into the wet, posting a best time of 1’42.509s. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put his Panigale V4 R machine into second place as the team looked to focus on a modified swingarm compared to the one seen at Portimao as well as new items inside the front forks. Bautista completed 67 laps and posted a best time of 1’40.952s to claim second spot. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi made it two Ducatis in the top six as he finished sixth with a best time of 1’41.610s. He completed 34 laps on day two, opting not to test in the wet conditions. Team HRC showed strong pace on Saturday with two riders in the top eight. Iker Lecuona claimed third spot with a best time of 1’41.033s and 62 laps completed, while Xavi Vierge was eighth after completing 55 laps. Vierge’s day came to an early end on Saturday after he had a highside crash at Turn 12, bringing out the Red Flags for a short period. Vierge was initially taken to the medical centre for a check-up before being transported to hospital with rib injuries, although he was conscious. Honda tested some new double ducts on their brakes on day one of the test to assist with cooling in hotter conditions, while the CBR1000RR-R also has a new exhaust for 2022. At the team’s home circuit, Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK claimed fourth with Jonathan Rea on day two of the two-day test after posting a 1’41.168s and completing 32 laps. Throughout the test, Rea tried the fuel tanks fins used by teammate Alex Lowes as well as trying small components including on the clutch. Lowes finished the day in 12th place, with a best time of 1’41.99s and 36 laps to his name. Both riders opted against testing in the afternoon after the rain fell. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) overcame technical issues in the morning to finish in seventh place for the day, racking up 50 laps and posting a best lap time of 1’41.636s. Redding spent day one working on BMW’s electronics package and was hoping for dry running to keep the momentum heading in the right direction. Despite not staying dry, Redding did test in the wet conditions while stand-in teammate Ilya Mikhalchik finished his day when the rain came. The Ukrainian rider’s best time was a 1’42.763s and he completed 16 laps. INDEPENDENT SQUADS ROUND OUT THE TOP TEN There were two Independent riders who rounded out the top ten on day two in Barcelona. German rookie Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) claimed ninth place as he looked to continue evaluating a new exhaust after the team switched to Spark over the winter. Oettl took advantage of the wet conditions in the afternoon to get some wet-weather practice in, having never ridden a WorldSBK machine in wet conditions before. His best time was a 1’41.735s with 55 laps to his name. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took a different approach to the afternoon’s running after the rain, with the Frenchman ending his day early. Over the winter, Kawasaki Puccetti switched suspension suppliers to Öhlins, with Mahias continuing to evaluate this change in Catalunya. Mahias posted a best time just 0.009s shy of Oettl while adding 23 laps to his tally. ROUNDING OUT THE WorldSBK FIELD ON DAY TWO… Bonovo Action BMW duo Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz were 15th and 16th respectively on the second day. Laverty had been working on a change of rider position throughout the test while working on some traction control strategies on day one. The Irishman completed 30 laps on day two, with a best time of 1’43.305s, while Baz was half-a-second down on his teammate as the Frenchman completed 29 laps; neither ventured out onto the track in the wet conditions. Sammarinese rookie Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) was 17th on day two as he continued to adjust to WorldSBK action. He posted a best time of 1’43.823s, completing 23 laps but not taking to the wet track. His time was a second clear of fellow rookie Oliver König (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) who added 34 laps to his tally; like Bernardi, König did not go out in the rain. Now entering his second season in WorldSBK, Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was 19th on his ZX-10RR. the Belgian rider had a highside crash at Turn 2 on day one in the change of direction but was okay to ride on Saturday, finishing as the penultimate rider in the field. Malaysian rider Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) was last in the WorldSBK classification, completing 49 laps with a best time of 1’45.539s. RACE LAP RECORD PACE FOR BULEGA Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) continued his form of lapping under existing race lap records throughout testing as he sent the benchmark in WorldSSP on day two. His best time was a 1’45.110s, faster than both Cresson and Syahrin, as he added 38 laps to his tally. He was the only WorldSSP rider to hit the track in the wet conditions, with Raffaele De Rosa (Ducati Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Oli Bayliss (Barni Spark Racing Team) opting to not test in the afternoon. De Rosa’s best time was a 1’46.971s, almost two seconds back from Bulega, while Bayliss posted a 1’47.253s as his best time. The top ten from WorldSBK on Day 2, combined classification from both days HERE: 1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’40.571s, 51 laps 2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.952s, 67 laps 3. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’41.033s, 62 laps 4. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’41.168s, 32 laps 5. Garrett Gerloff (GRT GYTR Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’41.320s, 62 laps 6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.610s, 34 laps 7. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’41.636s, 50 laps 8. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 1’41.724s, 55 laps 9. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) 1’41.735s, 55 laps 10. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’41.744s, 23 laps
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Post by truenorth on Mar 27, 2022 6:46:54 GMT -8
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