Rennie Scaysbrook | November 28, 2015
The last day of the final 2015 season group WSBK tests at Jerez saw the top WorldSBK riders lap as fast if not faster than the top GP riders, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) posting a 1’39.316 lap that was easily the best Superbike time of the tests – and the previous records from last September’s race weekend.
Just behind of the English rider was his team-mate from Northern Ireland, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki), who set a 1’39.524 lap, but had to stop early when he crashed going into the last hairpin in the final afternoon and wrecked his lone 2016 bike.
Both riders had used a qualifying rear tire to set their best laps.
Behind, Xavier Fores was quick on his Barni racing Ducati, earning a 1’40.148 as he takes the step-up to full time WSBK racing in 2016.
American rider Nicky Hayden was next best man running a transponder on his bike, as his CBR1000RR lapped to a 1’40.193. He ran qualifiers to get to that lap time but worked through a lot of material and settings, with his team-mate Michael van der Mark still missing from the scene.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati WSBK) was next fastest, only using race tires as he had so many things to check and verify before the winter break. He posted a 1’44.774. Davide Giugliano, his team-mate, got to 1’41.152 on his Ducati, with the MV Agusta of Leon Camier working on to a 1’41.219.
As on the previous days no times were given for the lone remaining Yamaha WSBK rider, Sylvain Guintoli, but he was credited with a 1’40.9 that was set on Thursday, as he worked on more major suspension and setting changes on the final day.
Patrick Jacobsen (Ten Kate Honda) was at lap record pace on his CBR600RR, even faster than Kenan Sofuoglu had gone on his Kawasaki earlier in the week, with his 1’42.8 from Today. Surprisingly, he was then given command of the injured Michael van der Mark’s CBR1000RRSP Superbike, to help Hayden in his work of evaluating the latest test material. He got down to a 1’42.292, but then fell as he lost feel and feed back at a slow hairpin. Gordon Ritchie
Photography by Gold & Goose