Gordon Ritchie | March 31, 2023
Almost a full complement of WorldSBK’s regular riders faced off for a two-day test at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya between March 30-31, filling the long gap between the two opening flyway rounds and the next round at Assen towards the end of April.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba Racing Ducati) did the first day, and half of the second, on track at Barcelona. Despite falling on the final day he was to leave as fastest rider, very close to the best-ever Superbike lap with his 1’40.509. The reigning champ finally concentrated on working with front tires, including the softer new SCO that Pirelli brought for evaluation by many riders. There was also a new SCQ rear to evaluate.
He was seemingly less happy with the front than some other riders, but he was happy enough with his test overall, despite his late fall. “Maybe I pushed too much. But when you are trying a tire maybe I overpassed the limit,” he said, “and there was no physical consequence for me. Yesterday we tried all we had to try so on the final day we concentrated on the tires.”
Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) had a strong test despite a final day fall, getting to within 0.62 seconds of Bautista’s best time. Clearly, Iker is finding improvements on a Honda which has had even more revisions in its chassis bracing since it qualified for Superconcession status, as early as the end of last year. “I’m very happy for several reasons, starting with the very thing that put an early end to a very positive test, funnily enough,” said Lecuona after his big crash on Friday. “I was so lucky to come away from a highside with only a black eye and some bruises but nothing broken. I lost the front at corner 14, over a bump, I think. I wasn’t doing anything “crazy” but it’s true I was on a qualifying tire and so was riding fast. The bike hit my right foot in the gravel, and a stone hit my eye after I lost my visor. Anyway, the tests at the hospital were all OK and I feel fine, and basically no pain. As for the test, I’m very pleased because after trying some new items and settings at Aragón last week, we’ve been able to complete back-to-back tests here at Catalunya, a very different track to Motorland and also more challenging in terms of tire drop-off. We’ve worked well and have had confirmation that we’ve really taken a step forward.”
Jonathan Rea (KRT), like the factory HRC duo of Lecuona and Xavi Vierge, had tested last week at the Motorland Aragon circuit. Rea was to finish third overall at his team’s home track of Barcelona, despite only riding on the final day of testing. He liked the new softer Pirelli tires, front and back.
Hoping for hotter day two track conditions that did not materialize, KRT only rode on the final day in Barcelona, keeping one day of testing up their sleeves in what has been a tough season so far.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba Racing Ducati) was fourth fastest on the aggregated two-day times.
Alex Lowes, hot on the heels of his KRT test at Motorland, finished his single day of Catalunya action on Friday fifth fastest, happy with a revised riding position first tried at Motorland.
Sixth was independent rider, Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha), seventh was Catalunya enthusiast Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), riding as a lone team member because of Loris Baz’s ankle and lower leg injuries, which he suffered during round two in Indonesia. He set his best time on day one.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon) was eighth, but enthused by new electronics ideas on his recent championship-winning R1 machine. Other parts that he tried, especially on day two, proved to be more of a mixed bag in terms of improvements he could feel.
Best official BMW rider was Michael van der Mark in ninth place overall, with privateer rider Remy Gardner (GRT Yamaha) joining him inside the top ten. Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda) and Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad) were 11th and 12th fastest.
New and yet also part-time WorldSBK rider Bradley Ray (Motoxracing Yamaha) had his third test of what is his pre-season but fell and also hit some mechanical snags once again. He was 17th of the 20 WorldSBK riders at Catalunya.
Florian Marino once more tested for the Kawasaki squad, with Oliver König (Orelac Racing Movisio Kawasaki) 20th.
In Supersport, a small gaggle of Ducati riders turned up to prepare for both Assen and then the subsequent WorldSBK round at Barcelona itself, in early May.
Niccolo Bulega (Aruba Racing Ducati) was top of the middleweight shelf, followed by the still-recovering Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Ducati).
Next up… next round of the championship itself, at Assen, between April 21-23.
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