Source: World Superbike Championship

Brit Jonathan Rea has placed his Pata Honda at the top of the timesheets on the opening day of the Superbike World Championship’s (WSBK) return to action at Aragon in Spain.

The factory Honda pilot delivered late in both free practice sessions to take important early bragging rights.

He displaced Aprilia Racing Team’s Marco Melandri by 0.314 seconds in the morning session, also moving ahead of reigning champion Tom Sykes, with the Kawasaki rider relegated to third.

The remaining factory Kawasaki and Aprilia mounts of Loris Baz and Sylvain Guintoli completed free practice one, with a margin of just 0.406 separating the top runners.

Sykes struck late in the second session, too, this time overcoming the benchmark laid down by Sykes.

Ducati Superbike Team rider Chaz Davies pushed into the top times, placing a competitive third ahead of a consistent Baz and the second factory Panigale of Davide Giugliano.

The EVO sub-class battle was headed by Althea Racing Ducati’s Niccolò Canepa across both sessions, with his efforts good for 10th outright despite a crash late in the day.

BMW Motorrad Italia stand-in Leon Camier was solid as the second EVO class runner, with Kawasaki rider David Salom completing the top three.

MV Agusta Yakhnich Motorsport rider Jules Cluzel made significant inroads in the Supersport class to register the quickest time of the day after the second free practice.

British Yamaha rider Kevin Coghlan claimed early bragging rights by finish 0.898 seconds clear of his closest challenger in the first session.

The field would regain ground in good afternoon conditions, with Cluzel climbing over Coghlan by a narrow 0.019 second margin.

Michael van der Mark was third from Florian Marino and Lorenzo Zanetti, with four manufacturers represented in the top five.

The opening day of Superstock 1000 competition for the year was headed by Barni Ducati teammates Leandro Mercado and Ondrej Jezek, with Pedercini Kawasaki’s Lorenzo Savadori a close third.

Aragon also marks the start of the Superstock 600 season, with early running headed by Suzuki GSX-R600-mounted Wayne Tessels from Yamaha rider Niki Tuuli and Kawasaki rider Marco Faccani.

Though not present in the first free practice, it was an encouraging end to the day for Aussie Adrian Nestorovic who returns to the class with MVR Racing Yamaha in 2014.

Nestorovic placed 10th on combined standings, 1.191 seconds off the eventual leader’s benchmark time.

European Junior Cup action completed the open in day, with Spanish rider Mika Perez a comfortably 0.426 seconds clear of challengers in the one-make Honda CBR500R class.

2014 Superbike World Championship
Round two – Aragon, Spain

Superbike free practice results:
1. Jonathan Rea 1m58.180
2. Tom Sykes 1m58.417
3. Chaz Davies 1m58.575
4. Loris Baz 1m58.579
5. Davide Giugliano 1m58.717
6. Marco Melandri 1m58.763
7. Sylvain Guintoli 1m58.855
8. Eugene Laverty 1m58.971
9. Leon Haslam 1m59.103
10. Niccolo Canepa 1m59.861

Supersport free practice results:
1. Jules Cluzel 2m02.461
2. Kev Coghlan 2m02.480
3. Michael Van der Mark 2m02.684
4. Florian Marino 2m03.055
5. Lorenzo Zanetti 2m03.160
6. Kenan Sofuoglu 2m03.173
7. Patrick Jacobsen 2m03.362
8. Ratthapark Wilairot 2m03.875
9. Ricardo Russo 2m03.907
10. Jack Kennedy 2m04.042

Click here for detailed results