Loris Baz Fast in World Superbike Practice at Jerez
Larry Lawrence | September 5, 2014
Photography by Gold & Goose
Loris Baz knocked off the rust faster than the other riders Friday in the resumption of the World Superbike Championship after nearly two months off. Baz ended the day by topping the final P2 session on his factory Kawasaki with a time of 1:42.677.Baz topped a very tightly contested session that saw the top 10 riders all within 4-10ths of a second.
Temperatures at Jerez soared in 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.
Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the biggest improver, jumping from fifth 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 sessions 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.
World Superbike Free Practice 2 Results from Jerez
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1
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76
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L. BAZ
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Kawasaki ZX-10R
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1’42.677
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2
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33
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M. MELANDRI
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Aprilia RSV4 Factory
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1’42.768
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3
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1
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T. SYKES
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Kawasaki ZX-10R
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1’42.813
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4
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91
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L. HASLAM
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Honda CBR1000RR
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1’42.881
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5
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34
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D. GIUGLIANO
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Ducati 1199 Panigale R
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1’42.896
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6
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58
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E. LAVERTY
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Suzuki GSX-R1000
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1’42.899
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7
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7
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C. DAVIES
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Ducati 1199 Panigale R
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1’42.916
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8
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50
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S. GUINTOLI
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Aprilia RSV4 Factory
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1’42.995
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9
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24
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T. ELIAS
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Aprilia RSV4 Factory
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1’43.067
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10
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65
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J. REA
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Honda CBR1000RR
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1’43.079
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11
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22
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A. LOWES
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Suzuki GSX-R1000
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1’43.204
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12
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21
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A. ANDREOZZI
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’44.031
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13
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52
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S. BARRIER
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BMW S1000 RR EVO
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1’44.343
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14
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44
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D. SALOM
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’44.363
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15
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59
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N. CANEPA
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Ducati 1199 Panigale R EVO
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1’44.389
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16
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32
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S. MORAIS
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’44.468
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17
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71
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C. CORTI
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MV Agusta F4 RR
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1’44.860
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18
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11
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J. GUARNONI
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’44.919
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19
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67
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B. STARING
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’45.133
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20
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10
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I. TOTH
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BMW S1000 RR
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1’46.087
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21
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99
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G. MAY
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EBR 1190 RX
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1’46.614
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22
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16
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G. RIZMAYER
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BMW S1000 RR EVO
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1’46.657
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23
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23
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L. SCASSA
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Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO
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1’47.525
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24
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20
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A. YATES
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EBR 1190 RX
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1’47.617
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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.
