Paul Carruthers | January 23, 2010
Miserable conditions greeted the World Superbike teams today at the Portimao Circuit in Portugal with rain keeping several riders in the garages for most of the first session. When the day was done, Brit Jonathan Rea and his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda proved to be the best in the wet as he leap-frogged over yesterday’s dry leader Leon Haslam.Rea lapped at 1:49.107 in today’s second session, putting him a few tenths quicker than Haslam, the Alstare Suzuki man fresh off leading both dry sessions yesterday. Haslam’s best was 1:49.391 today.BMW’s Troy Corser showed the biggest improvement today, the Aussie jumping all the way up to third fastest on the S1000RR with a 1:49.606.Yamaha’s Cal Crutchlow, the non-defending World Supersport Champion, was fourth today, half a second clear of countryman Tom Skyes on the factory Kawasaki as four Brits were in the top five.Noriyuki Haga ended the day sixth overall, one spot better than Corser’s BMW teammate Ruben Xaus. Sylvain Guintoli, Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa rounded out the top 10.American Roger Lee Hayden ended up 20th and last yesterday and his spot was the same in today’s wet conditions. Hayden lapped at a best fo 1:59.721 as he continues to adjust to a new team, new tires and a new racetrack.
Saturday Superbike Times
1. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1:49.107
2. Leon Haslam (Suzuki) 1:49.391
3. Troy Corser (BMW) 1:49.606
4. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1:50.168
5. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1:50.616
6. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) 1:51.167
7. Ruben Xaus (BMW) 1:51.170
8. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) 1:51.253
9. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1:52.108
10. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 1:53.854
20. Roger Lee Hayden (Kawasaki) 1:59.721
Paul Carruthers | Editor
Paul Carruthers took over as the editor of Cycle News in 1993 after serving as associate editor since starting his career at the publication in 1985. Carruthers has covered every facet of the sport in his near-28-year tenure at America's Daily Motorcycle News Source.
