Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) a conclu la première journée à Jerez avec le meilleur temps, établi à la fin de la seconde séance d’essais. Face à des températures qui dépassaient les 30°C vendredi après-midi, les pilotes pouvaient s’attendre à aller un peu moins vite que le matin mais bon nombre d’entre eux ont fini par améliorer leurs chronos dans les six dernières minutes de la séance.
Le Français a été l’auteur de la plus belle progression et est passé de la cinquième à la première place avec un temps d’1’42.677. Il reléguait ainsi Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team), leader de la première séance, et le Champion en titre Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) aux seconde et troisième positions sur le classement combiné.
Deuxième de la seconde séance, Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) grimpait à la quatrième place du classement de la journée, devant Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) et Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), double vainqueur à Jerez l’an dernier.
Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) est tombé pour la seconde fois de la journée et a été relégué à la septième position, devant Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) et Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team).
Dans la catégorie EVO, Alessandro Andreozzi (Team Pedercini) a impressionné en ne finissant qu’à 1.3s du temps de référence et en prenant la douzième place du classement combiné, avec trois dixièmes d’avance sur Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia).
Jérémy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) est dix-huitième tandis que Imre Toth (Team Toth BMW), de retour de blessure, est le dernier pilote provisoirement qualifié en Superpole avant la séance FP3 de samedi matin.
Temperatures at Jerez soared into the 30’s for FP2 leaving many to think that few riders would better their times from FP1. This was looking the case until the final 6 minutes when several fast laps completely changed the running order.
After topping FP1 Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) was unable to improve but with only one rider bettering the Italian’s time from this morning he remained in a solid 2nd overall.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the biggest improver, jumping from 5th to the top of the timing sheet with a lap time of 1.42.677. The Frenchman is looking confident over a number of laps at the technical Spanish circuit and on today’s performance looks set to feature highly in the races on Sunday.
After topping FP1 Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) was unable to improve but with only one rider bettering the Italian’s time from this morning he remained in a solid 2nd overall.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the biggest improver, jumping from 5th to the top of the timing sheet with a lap time of 1.42.677. The Frenchman is looking confident over a number of laps at the technical Spanish circuit and on today’s performance looks set to feature highly in the races on Sunday.
Behind Baz, Melandri and Sykes there were other significant improvers namely Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who elevated himself into contention in 4th, ahead of Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) and 2013 race winner Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) who completed the top 6.
Chaz Davies fell from his Ducati for the second time in as many session and dropped to 7th ahead of Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who was 10th.
In the EVO fight Team Pedercini’s Alessandro Andreozzi closed to within 1.3s of the fastest time of the day with an impressive 1.44.031, the Italian claiming an impressive 12th overall.
Currently the final participant in Superpole 1 is the returning from injury Imre Toth (Team Toth BMW) but with FP3 still to come tomorrow morning there is still a chance for others to make it through.
