Kawasaki’s Sofuoglu Tops New York’s Jacobsen in PI Supersport Testing

Mahi Kawasaki's Kenan Sofuoglu at Phillip Island World Supersport testing.
Mahi Kawasaki's Kenan Sofuoglu at Phillip Island World Supersport testing.
Mahi Kawasaki’s Kenan Sofuoglu at Phillip Island World Supersport testing.

2014 Phillip Island World Supersport Test Results

The two-day World Supersport test wrapped up at Phillip Island in Australia Tuesday. Posting the top lap time was Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki’s Kenan Sofuoglu, a three-time World Supersport Champion (2007, 2010, 2012).

The Turkish rider posted the quickest lap of 1:33.506 during Monday’s opening session, and didn’t improve on day two. But the situation was different for the other riders who closed the gap on Sofuoglu.

Kenan Sofuoglu says “It looks like we are in quite good shape and I have good experience of Phillip Island. In the WSS class the key is to make your tyre run for full race distance. Since we first arrived yesterday my speed was already very fast, so I was focused today to make a long run with the tyres and today in the afternoon I found the pace I wanted.

“I did not try to improve my lap time or try and set a 1’32. And I think I will focus on being faster once we get to the race weekend. We have changed the bike a little bit from last year, on the suspension for example, and it looks like it is quite good. My team is improved because there is more experience in the team now. They did a very good job at these tests but I cannot say we touched the bike too much. If everything carries on in a good way we can fight for the win.”

Second quickest was the American World Supersport rooke, PJ Jacobsen aboard yet another Kawasaki ZX-6R. The Intermoto Ponyexpres rider took advantage of the perfect weather conditions and knocked a second off his Monday time, finishing just over two-thousands of a second off Sofuoglu’s pace. This was also the New Yorker’s first appearance at the Phillip Island circuit

Taking the third quickest time was Pata Honda’s Michael van deer Mark, who on Tuesday matched his Monday time.

After the technical problem suffered yesterday, World Supersport returnee Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC – Yakhnich Motorsport) gave a glimpse of his former WSS speed elevating himself to fourth overall, ahead of series debutant Ratthapark Wilairot (Core PTR Honda). Yamaha was well represented by Kev Coghlan (DMC-Panavto Yamaha) and Italian Fabio Menghi (VFT Yamaha), who finished sixth and seventh respectively, World SBK reports.

Local rider Bryan Staring (Rivamoto Honda) did well in his return to the Supersport class (he is a former Australian Supersport Champion) ending the two day test in 13th position, World SBK reports.

The riders now break until Friday ahead of the opening round of World Supersport at Phillip Island.

2014 Phillip Island World Supersport Test Times (combined):

1. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’33.506 average 171.133 kph; 2. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1’33.787; 3. Vd Mark (Honda) 1’33.918; 4. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1’33.984; 5. Wilairot (Honda) 1’33.987; 6. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1’34.072; 7. Menghi (Yamaha) 1’34.233; 8. Leonov (MV Agusta) 1’34.295; 9. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1’34.301; 10. Kennedy (Honda) 1’34.393; 11. Russo (Honda) 1’34.550; 12. Zanetti (Honda) 1’34.591; 13. Staring (Honda) 1’34.733; 14. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’34.747; 15. De Rosa (Honda) 1’34.834; 16. Wahr (Yamaha) 1’35.152; 17. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 1’35.320; 18. Gowland (Triumph) 1’35.324; 19. McConnell (Triumph) 1’35.351; 20. Calero (Honda) 1’35.370; 21. Bussolotti (Honda) 1’35.533; 22. Coveña (Kawasaki) 1’35.599; 23. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 1’35.740; 24. Rogers (Honda) 1’36.956; 25. Taylor (Yamaha) 1’36.969; 26. Ivanov (Yamaha) 1’37.123.

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