Test Day Two Advances for Top SBK Riders

12 February 2004

Subtly improved conditions allowed the majority of the top Superbike riders to reduce their best lap times at Valencia, although Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila) continued his good pre-season form to secure the top placing once more. He slashed half a second off his opening day mark of 1:36.538, leaving the track today with a 1:36.016 on his board. With even better conditions and more urgency he is fully expected to dip under the 1:35 barrier on the final day of the tests. Given the rate of improvement for some of the top riders in the series, he may be joined in that bracket by more than one of his peers.

Steve Martin made the biggest jump, second fastest on the day, with a 1:36.260. The Australian has been fastest in a previous Valencia test during December 2003 and with a top-flight customer 999RS he could be challenging for top honours this season. James Toseland (Ducati Fila) was third fastest, after his 70 lap long haul, and he was joined in the top four of day two by Noriyuki Haga, who took his Renegade Ducati 999RS to a best time of 1:36.676.

Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas FP-1) made suspension changes to suit the Valencia circuit and jumped up today’s order to finish fifth on the Thursday timesheets.

Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati 999RS) suffered another fall to add to his injurious day one experience, when he broke a finger on his left hand and badly grazed his calf. He escaped further injury today, and went sixth fastest after 43 laps.

Ten Kate Honda FireBlade rider Chris Vermeulen was sixth fastest, with a Thursday time of 1:37.200 to his credit. Mauro Sanchini continued the development of another 1000cc four-cylinder machine new to SBK competition, as he went eighth fastest on his Bertocchi Kawasaki ZX-10.

Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 999RS) suffered another crash to add to his opening day spill, as he tried to eradicate weight transfer problems during his relatively early stage of acquaintance with his 2004 Ducati. He was ninth fastest man on the day, with Chris Walker (Foggy Petronas FP-1) tenth. NCR Ducati rider Garry McCoy was 12th fastest on day two.

In World Supersport Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR), continued to be fastest rider on show, although he only matched but did not improve his first day time of 1:37.665. Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) slotted in second on Thursday’s times, with Ten Kate rider Broc Parkes third and Fabien Foret (Belgarda Yamaha) maintaining a top four pace in the absence of his team-mate Jurgen van den Goorbergh. Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany YZFR6) was fifth today.

Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Fila 749RS) could not get to the pace of the top four cylinder entries, and went 13th fastest. One day remains for all the entrants to improve their times and make final preparations for the first race of the year at Valencia at the end of the month.

See series calendar for SBK World Superbike Championship 2004

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