2011 World Superbike Test
When the World Superbike riders began their first session Wednesday at Day 1 of the Portimao tests in Portugal, Jonathan Rea topped the time sheets aboard the Castrol Honda CBR1000RR.
But at the end of the second superbike session, privateer Jakub Smrz was quicker than Rea, posting a 1:43.503 aboard the Team-Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1198. Smrz showed that a privateer can be strong amid all the factory machines.
Rea maintained second overall, posting a 1:43.676. But only 0.31 of a second behind was the rookie Superbike rider Eugene Laverty on the Sterilgarda Yamaha Superbike R1.
The all-new Kawasaki ZX-10R was fourth fastest, putting four separate manufacturers in the top four. The Kawasaki Racing Team rider that posted the time was Tom Sykes.
Rounding out the top five was Carlos Checa aboard the Althea Ducati. The top nine riders were all within a second of each other.
The three-day World Superbike test, the first official one of the 2011 season, continues tomorrow at Portimao.
Portimao World Superbike Test: Day 1, Session 1 Results
1. (4) Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.055
2. (96) Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’44.113
3. (3) Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.384
4. (84) Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’44.756
5. (66) Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’44.841
6. (111) Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.949
7. (41) Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.967
8. (2) Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’45.167
9. (17) Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’45.404
10. (121) Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’45.418
11. (50) Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’45.510
12. (52) Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’45.539
13. (86) Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’45.678
14. (58) Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1’45.856
15. (7) Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’46.526
16. (33) Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1’46.625
Portimao World Superbike Test: Day 1, Session 2 Results
1. (96) Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’43.503
2. (4) Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’43.676
3. (58) Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1’43.707
4. (66) Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’43.770
5. (7) Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’43.789
6. (3) Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’43.840
7. (84) Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’43.879
8. (50) Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’44.369
9. (2) Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.446
10. (17) Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’44.752
11. (52) Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’44.764
12. (41) Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.857
13. (111) Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.885
14. (121) Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’44.886
15. (33) Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1’45.461
16. (86) Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’45.678