SBK Teams Gather for Final Pre-Season Test
11 February 2004
With the first round of the World Superbike Championship
taking place at Valencia on Sunday 29 February, the top SBK entrants
arrived in the Spanish circuit of Valencia eager to shine during the
last official tests before the start of the 17th SBK season.
Bright and unbroken sunshine, with air and track temperatures of 23°C,
offered the 24 Superbike machines on show the ideal start to their final
preparations, and once more Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) made the most
of it, setting the fastest first day time of 1:36.608. The Frenchman
was suffering the effects of a slight flu and had a crash in the middle
of the afternoon session, but he fully expects to increase his advantage
on day two of the three-day test.
For new SBK full-time rider Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati
999RS) the first day of testing was a measurable success, his 50-lap
total eventually leading to a second quickest time of 1:36.748. The
Englishman’s pace was a boost for the Renegade team, setting out
on its first year of full World Superbike competition.
A good day for most of the UK entry had James Toseland
in third overall on his factory Ducati Fila machine, while local knowledge
allowed Spaniard Sergio Fuertes the chance to secure fourth overall
on his MIR Racing Suzuki.
A good start to a new SBK adventure for the Ten Kate
Honda team saw Chris Vermeulen, the reigning World Supersport champion,
finish his first true day of Superbike testing in fifth place, an excellent
result for him and the all-new Honda Fireblade.
Multiple SBK race winner Noriyuki Haga returns to the
championship which made him an international star, with the Japanese
ending his first day at Valencia sixth on his Renegade Ducati 999R.
Steve Martin (DFX Ducati 999RS) went seventh quickest, with top Foggy
Petronas rider Troy Corser eighth overall.
The top ten was rounded out by the most experienced Superbiker
of all, Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 999RS) and Marco Borciani
(DFX Ducati 999RS).
Gary McCoy completed his first day of real tests among
his peer group in 13th place overall, behind the best Kawasaki ZX-10
rider, Mauro Sanchini in 11th and Chris Walker (Foggy Petronas FP-1)
in 12th.
More new entrants to the series, Zongshen Suzuki, fielded
their two riders Piergiorgio Bontempi and Warwick Nowland with Bontempi
17th fastest and Nowland 20th.
In World Supersport the circuit best lap was beaten on
the very first day by Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR), who
set a new best of 1:37.655 while running on race tyres. In a superb
first day for Australian riders Broc Parkes (also Ten Kate Honda) scored
second quickest time, while returnee WSS rider Kevin Curtain (Yamaha
Motor Germany YZFR6) was third fastest, 0.6 seconds shy of Muggeridge.
2002 World Champion Fabien Foret (Yamaha Belgarda YZFR6)
pushed into the top four, while the top Suzuki rider, Stephane Chambon,
slotted the new GSX-R600 into fifth.
Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Fila 749RS) went 14th fastest of
the 27 Supersport riders on show, and easily the top Ducati rider.
Testing continues for two further days, with good weather
conditions predicted by most long-range forecasts.
See series calendar for SBK
World Superbike Championship 2004
Related Story 26.01.2004 - Noriyuki
Haga Makes Welcome Return to SBK with Renegade Ducati
