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Alvaro Bautista dominates Phillip Island pre-season test

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Bautista dominates Phillip Island pre-season test

WorldSBK 2019 Phillip Island Test
Day 2 – PM Report

Alvaro Bautista has used the power and poise of the new Ducati Panigale V4 R, and a hefty dose of skill and bravery, to top every session of the two-day official World Superbike pre-season test at Phillip Island this week.

WSBK Test PI Day Bautista
Alvaro Bautista

Come conclusion of the afternoon session on Day 2, there was five riders under the lap record in an impressive turn of events, while some problems with tyres had been noted, with blistering occurring.

The new Ducati was also fastest through the speed traps by a considerable margin. That might cause organisers to question their recently released RPM limits for season 2019. If a single brand of machine looks to have much of an advantage these limits will be reduced further during the season, as has happened to Kawasaki in recent seasons due to their domination of the class.

WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Alvaro Bautista TBG
Alvaro Bautista – Image by TBG Sport

The new BMW will start season 2019 with a 14,900 rpm limit while the Kawasaki will be pegged to 14,600 rpm. The new Ducati Panigale V4 R will start with a 16,350 rpm limit, but with both Bautista and Davies clocking by far the fastest speeds during this Phillip Island test, one would expect that the Ducati rev limit to be reduced in due course…

Somewhat curiously BMW’s Tom Sykes and Markus Reiterberger are amongst the slowest bikes in the field through the speed trap. One would imagine that lack of top end speed would stem from poor drive off turn 12, and thus a deficit of rear grip from their current set-up with the new bike, with Tom Sykes claiming he’s still got a standard engine in their current test machines, and has given him inspiration for when the bike’s fully spec’d.

WSBK Test PI Day Sykes
Tom Sykes

It is early days yet with the new bike though and the lap-times are already quite encouraging, for Sykes in particular, who completed the final session of the day in second place, after putting in a 1’30.539 late in the session.

Many of the fastest times over the two days were set this morning, despite a few red flags because of Cape Barren Geese on circuit. This afternoon though there was wind, along with a few fine sprinkles of rain from time to time, with only a late push by Tom Sykes and Leon Haslam propelling them up the charts into second and third respectively, while Rea shaved his best time down to 1’30.722, a 0.038s improvement and retaining the number four position. Bautista also noted that he was going for race distance this afternoon, rather than outright fastest time.

Yamaha have looked strong across the two days with Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes quick out of the box on Monday, but it was Marco Melandri that ended up quickest overall for the tuning fork brand on a GRT Yamaha.

WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Marco Melandri TBG
Marco Melandri – TBG Image

The weather this afternoon put dampers on any sort of time attack from Jonathan Rea to gain bragging rights but he has been right there across both days, and on race pace it would be a brave man to bet against him, especially after he shaved down his time in the afternoon session. Leon Haslam also looks to be adapting to the WorldSBK spec’ ZX-10RR well and is in the hunt, coming in just ahead of Rea on the sheets.

WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Jonathon Rea TBG
Jonathan Rea – Image by TBG Sport

The new Althea Moriwaki Honda squad will, I think, be mainly satisfied with the pace of Leon Camier and Ryuichi Kiyonari at this early stage of the game. The pair have started behind the eight-ball as the new look team did not have bikes ready for the earlier test sessions this year, thus it was the first real hit-out for the team and their riders.

Troy Herfoss had a disastrous day one with teething problems on the freshly built Penrite Honda on Monday but did make some headway this morning and at least now has a direction to follow. Herfoss though is yet to match the times he did here a few weeks ago on his lesser spec’ ASBK Superbike. Their eager anticipation towards this wildcard appearance may have waned a little on the back of their problems this week.

WSBK Test PI Day GeeBee Troy Herfoss
Troy Herfoss – GeeBee Image

WSBK Phillip Island Test February 2019
Final Combined Times

  1. BAUTISTA Alvaro – Ducati 1’30.303
  2. SYKES Tom – BMW 1’30.539
  3. HASLAM Leon – Kawasaki 1’30.668
  4. REA Jonathan – Kawasaki 1’30.722
  5. MELANDRI Marco – Yamaha 1’30.760
  6. RAZGATLIOGLU Toprak – Kawasaki 1’30.840
  7. VAN DER MARK Michael – Yamaha 1’30.911
  8. CORTESE Sandro – Yamaha 1’31.077
  9. LOWES Alex – Yamaha 1’31.168
  10. TORRES Jordi – Kawasaki 1’31.224
  11. MERCADO Leandro – Kawasaki 1’31.328
  12. REITERBERGER Markus – BMW 1’31.376
  13. CAMIER Leon – Honda 1’31.443
  14. DAVIES Chaz – Ducati 1’31.796
  15. KIYONARI Ryuichi – Honda 1’31.860
  16. LAVERTY Eugene – Ducati 1’31.986
  17. RINALDI Michael Ruben – Ducati 1’32.083
  18. DELBIANCO Alessandro – Honda 1’32.979
  19. HERFOSS Troy – Honda 1’33.130

WorldSBK – Tuesday AM – Times / Speeds

  1. Alvaro Bautista – Ducati 1m30.303 – 316.7 km/h
  2. Marco Melandri – Yamaha 1m30.760 – 306.8 km/h
  3. Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki 1m30.761 – 310.3 km/h
  4. Tom Sykes – BMW 1m30.777 – 302.5 km/h
  5. Michael Van der Mark – Yamaha 1m30.911 – 312.1 km/h
  6. Leon Haslam – Kawasaki 1m30.947 – 309.5 km/h
  7. Sandro Cortese – Yamaha 1m31.077 – 308.6 km/h
  8. Alex Lowes – Yamaha 1m31.272 – 310.3 km/h
  9. Markus Reiterberger – BMW 1m31.376 – 301.7 km/h
  10. Leon Camier – Honda 1m31.443 – 309.5 km/h
  11. Toprak Razgatlioglu – Kawasaki 1m31.445 – 306.8 km/h
  12. Chaz Davies- Ducati 1m31.796 – 314.0 km/h
  13. Jordi Torres – Kawasaki 1m31.808 – 300.0 km/h
  14. Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda 1m31.860 – 306.8 km/h
  15. Leandro Mercado – Kawasaki 1m31.942 – 303.4 km/h
  16. Eugene Laverty – Ducati 1m31.986 – 303.4 km/h
  17. Michael Rinaldi – Ducati 1m32.428 – 314 km/h
  18. Alessandreo Delbianco – Honda 1m32.979 – 294.3 km/h
  19. Troy Herfoss – Honda 1m33.130 – 300.8 km/h

World Supersport – Tuesday AM – Times

  1. Krummenacher – Yamaha 1m33.111
  2. Caricasulo – Yamaha 1m33.417
  3. Cluzel – Yamaha 1m33.791
  4. Mahias – Kawasaki 1m33.872
  5. De Rosa – MV Agusta 1m33.935
  6. Gradinger – Yamaha 1m34.184
  7. Barbera – Yamaha 1m34.282
  8. Soomer – Honda 1m34.340
  9. Perolari – Yamaha 1m34.361
  10. Okubo – Kawasaki 1m34.374
  11. Vinales – Yamaha 1m34.491
  12. Sebestyen – Honda 1m34.784
  13. Fuligni – MV Agusta 1m34.864
  14. Van Sikkelerus – Honda 1m34.872
  15. Cresson – Yamaha 1m34.918
  16. Danilo – Honda 1m35.008
  17. Toparis – Yamaha 1m35.165
  18. Herrera – Yamaha 1m35.282
  19. Badovini – Kawasaki 1m35.437
  20. Ruiu – Honda 1m35.506
  21. Hartog – Kawasaki 1m35.783
  22. Calero – Kawasaki 1m35.855
  23. Coppola – Honda 1m35.909
  24. Van Straalen – Kawasaki 1m36.765

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WorldSBK  Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

Event Schedule, 22 – 24 February 2019
Thursday 21 February 2019
Time Duration Category Schedule
9:00 10:00 1:00 World SSP Riders Briefing
10:00 FIM Track Safety Inspection
10:00 11:30 1:30 All Riders Riders Track Familiarization
12:00 13:00 1:00 Safety Car Test Track closed
13:50 14:20 0:30 Aus SS 300 Free Practice 1
14:25 14:55 0:30 Aus SS Free Practice 1
15:00 15:30 0:30 Australian Sup Free Practice 1
15:40 15:50 0:10 Parade Laps Black Dog Ride
14:30 15:30 1:00 WorldSBK Riders Briefing
16:00 17:00 1:00 WorldSBK Official Photo Start/Finish Straight
16:00 17:00 1:00 WorldSSP Technical/Sporting Checks Pit Garages
17:00 18:00 1:00 WorldSSP Official Photo Start/Finish Straight
17:00 18:00 1:00 WorldSBK Technical/Sporting Checks Pit Garages
18:00 All 1st Time Riders Riders Briefing
TBC All Classes Tyre Stickers Distribution Technical Bay
Friday 22 February 2019
Time Duration Category Schedule
8:30 8:40 0:10 Timekeeping Racing Track System Test
9:10 9:25 0:15 Aus SS Free Practice 2
9:30 9:45 0:15 Aus SBK Free Practice 2
9:50 FIM Medical Inspection
10:00 FIM Track Inspection
10:30 11:20 0:50 WorldSBK Free Practice 1
11:30 12:15 0:45 WorldSSP Free Practice 1
12:25 12:55 0:30 Pit Walk 1
13:15 13:30 0:15 Aus SS 300 Free Practice 2
13:35 13:50 0:15 Aus SBK Qualifying
13:55 14:10 0:15 Aus SS Qualifying
14:15 14:30 0:15 Aus SS300 Qualifying
15:00 15:50 0:50 WorldSBK Free Practice 2
16:00 16:45 0:45 WorldSSP Free Practice 2
Saturday 23 February 2019
Time Duration Category Schedule
8:15 8:25 0:10 Timekeeping Racing Track System Test
8:45 9:15 0:30 Australian SSP Race 1 10 Laps 
9:20 FIM Medical Inspection
9:30 FIM Track Inspection
10:00 10:20 0:20 WorldSBK Free Practice 3
10:35 10:55 0:20 WorldSSP Free Practice 3
11:05 11:25 0:20 Aus SS 300 Race 1 8 Laps –
11:30 12:00 0:30 Aus SBK Race 1 12 Laps 
12:15 12:40 0:25 WorldSBK Tissot Superpole
12:55 13:20 0:25 WorldSSP Tissot Superpole
13:40 14:10 0:30 Pit Walk 2 & Safety Car Laps
15:00 WorldSBK RACE 1 22 Laps Pit Opens: 14:40
16:15 16:45 0:30 Aus SBK Race 2 12 Laps 
16:50 17:10 0:20 Aus SS 300 Race 2 8 Laps 
17:15 17:45 0:30 Aus SSP Race 2 10 Laps 
Sunday 24 February 2019
Time Duration Category Schedule
7:45 7:55 0:10 Timekeeping Racing Track System Test
8:15 8:45 0:30 Aus SSP Race 3 10 Laps
8:50 FIM Medical Inspection
9:00 FIM Track Inspection
09:30 09:45 0:15 WorldSBK Warm Up
09:55 10:10 0:15 WorldSSP Warm Up
10:30 11:00 0:30 Aus SBK Race 3 12 Laps
11:05 11:35 0:30 Pit Walk 3 & Safety Car Laps
12:00 WorldSBK S-pole Race 10 Laps Pit Opens: 11:45
13:15 WorldSSP Race 18 Laps Pit Opens: 13:00
15:00 WorldSBK Race 2 22 Laps Pit Opens: 14:40
16:15 16:35 0:20 Aus SS 300 Race 3 8 laps
1 Lap 4,445 km Issued: 28 November 2018 13:00h

Source: MCNews.com.au

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