Source: WorldSBK.

The penultimate day of World Supersport testing ahead of the first round of the season ended earlier today with Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) coming out on top after two 110-minute sessions.

In the opening period it was former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) who emerged on top 0.699s ahead of 2014 Phillip Island race winner and the 2014 vice champion Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), the pair several tenths ahead of the rest of the pack.

The later afternoon session saw the morning head wind on the Gardner Straight subside resulting in brace of faster times and with a lap time within a second of circuit lap record it was Sofuoglu who goes into tomorrow’s final test session in top spot.

Behind Sofuoglu, Jules Cluzel improved his time to consolidate second position overall ahead of the improving Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and American PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpress) who elevated himself to fourth on his final lap.

Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda), who is returning to the WorldSBK paddock after three seasons in Moto2 took an impressive fifth on his first competitive ride on a Supersport machine since 2011, the Londoner confident of further improvement as the test continues tomorrow.

Local wildcard rider Aiden Wagner (Oz Wildcard Racing) completed the top six – stunning on the private Yamaha inside the top five for much of Monday.

The top 10 were rounded out by Roberto Rolfo (Lorini Honda), Marco Faccani (San Carlo Puccetti Racing), Riccardo Russo (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) and Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) respectively.

Australian Glenn Scott (AARK Racing) took his Honda CBR600cc machine to 19th overall, while Alex Phillis substitute rider for Alessandro Nocco (Lorini Honda) was 20th. The second local wildcard entry of Sam Lambert powering his Triumph Daytona machine to 22nd in the combined classification.

Kyle Smith was the only faller today, the Englishman should be back in action tomorrow.

Of the 24 entered riders, the CATBIKE/exit Kawasaki pairing of Nacho Calero and Marcos Ramirez failed to record a time in either session, the team preferring to ensure everything is 100 percent with the machine preparation before allowing the riders to take to the track.

Thai rider Ratthapark Wilairot (CORE Motorsport Thailand) managed only 20 laps after there was a delay in receiving his riding gear.

The final two 110 minute timed test sessions will take place tomorrow at 11:20am and 3:40pm local time.

Click here for detailed results