Tom Sykes Ends WSBK FP2 in Portimao on Top

Larry Lawrence | July 4, 2014

Photography by Gold & Goose

The hot weather and blisteringly hot temperatures at Portimao’s Autodromo Internactional do Algarve for World Superbike FP2 Friday saw only a handful of riders improve.  That left Aprilia Racing Team rider Marco Melandri at the top of the combined standings a fraction ahead of the improving Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) who elevated himself to second on the day with the top time in FP2 despite running off track in the final few moments of the session.

Behind the top two Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team), and Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) were third to sixth respectively in combined times.

Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) got the better of Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) with Davide Giugliano moving up several places in the final ten minutes to claim 10th and the final automatic Superpole 2 place as it stands.

Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia) was once again the best classified EVO rider in 11th overall ahead of Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia), Sheridan Morais (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki) and the much improved MV Agusta Reparto Corse machine of Italian Claudio Corti who was 14th.

Luca Scassa (Team Pedercini) who rode in FP1 withdrew from the event, the Italian still not fully fit from his early season crash. He was replaced and FP2 by Riccardo Russo who made a midday switch from the Superstock 1000cc category that he was originally supposed to ride this weekend.

At the back of the field both Team Hero EBR riders had a torrid opening day with both Aaron Yates and Geoff May currently outside of the qualification maximum time range.

WSBK Free Practice 2 Results from Portimao – July 4, 2014
1 1 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’43.927
2 65 J. REA GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 1’43.939
3 58 E. LAVERTY IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’44.147
4 7 C. DAVIES GBR Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1’44.273
5 33 M. MELANDRI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.372
6 22 A. LOWES GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’44.374
7 91 L. HASLAM GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.511
8 76 L. BAZ FRA Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’44.841
9 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’44.850
10 34 D. GIUGLIANO ITA Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 1’44.862
11 52 S. BARRIER FRA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK BMW S1000 RR EVO 1’44.960
12 24 T. ELIAS ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’45.466
13 32 S. MORAIS RSA IRON BRAIN Grillini Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’45.801
14 71 C. CORTI ITA MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta F4 RR 1’45.847
15 86 A. BADOVINI ITA Team Bimota Alstare Bimota BB3 EVO 1’45.919
16 2 C. IDDON GBR Team Bimota Alstare Bimota BB3 EVO 1’45.927
17 59 N. CANEPA ITA Althea Racing Ducati 1199 Panigale R EVO 1’46.025
18 9 F. FORET FRA MAHI Racing Team India Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’46.557
19 44 D. SALOM ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’46.597
20 21 A. ANDREOZZI ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’46.712
21 48 R. RUSSO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’46.718
22 11 J. GUARNONI FRA MRS Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’46.727
23 67 B. STARING AUS IRON BRAIN Grillini Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 1’47.596
24 16 G. RIZMAYER HUN BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR 1’48.588
25 56 P. SEBESTYEN HUN BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR EVO 1’50.324
26 20 A. YATES USA Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 1’51.414
27 99 G. MAY USA Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 1’51.881

Larry Lawrence | Archives Editor

In addition to writing our Archives section on a weekly basis, Lawrence is another who is capable of covering any event we throw his way.