Source: WorldSBK.

Two 120-minute sessions kick-started the WSBK Official Test, the final pre-race test and ahead of the 2015 eni FIM World Superbike Championship season opener with Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) sitting pretty atop of the combined times.

With almost perfect weather conditions the 25 protagonists who will do battle in Sunday’s 22 lap races relished the opportunity to fine tune their machines across the opening two timed periods.

Ex-MotoGP racer Randy De Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) led the field for the first 74 minutes of the day before Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and former World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) each took their turn at the top, but it was in the afternoon when the times really tumbled.

The Frenchman crashed at the high speed turn 11 in the closing minutes of the afternoon, sustaining bruising and took no further part in the day’s proceedings.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) ended the first two hours on track a fraction ahead of his team mate Tom Sykes.

In the early minutes of the afternoon, Italian Davide Giugliano (Aruba Ducati SBK) crashed at the fast turn 11. He was unable to rejoin.

When the circuit re-opened it was Sykes who produced a run of fast and consistent laps to close the gap to his new teammate before a number of riders set personal improving laps.

With two minutes to go Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) unleashed the fastest lap of the test so far to edge session one pace-setter Jonathan Rea by 0.331s.

Leon Haslam also improved late on, displacing Sykes who ended day one in fourth overall ahead of the impressive Spanish rookie Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Davide Giugliano whose time from the morning kept him in sixth.

Chaz Davies on the second of the factory Ducati machine was seventh, De Puniet eigth and reigning World Supersport Champion Michael vd Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) ninth.

Former 125cc World Champion Nico Terol rode his Althea Racing Ducati into 10th overall ahead of compatriot and 2014 EVO winner David Salom (Pedercini Kawasaki), who was 11th.

Reigning champion Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) eased into his title-defending season with 13th overall just behind MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s new recruit Leon Camier.

The new-look Team Hero EBR squad of Niccolò Canepa and Larry Pegram were in fine form with Italian Canepa claiming an encouraging 14th at the end of four hours of testing.

Australian wildcard Jed Metcher was 18th overall on his Superbike debut, improving significantly in the afternoon session, two positions ahead of countryman Matt Walters in 20th.

Of the other rookies Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven Kawasaki) was 19th, Santiago Barragan (Grillini SBK Team) 22nd and the youngest full time entry in this year’s series Christophe Ponsson (Grillini SBK Team) 24th.

The final two 120-minute timed test sessions will take place tomorrow at 9:10am and 1:30pm local time.

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