Source: Supplied.

MotoGP and World Superbike’s final test day at the Circuito de Jerez was affected by heavy rain on Friday, with lap times remaining 10-12 seconds down on the best posted throughout other days this week.

Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, testing in place of Jorge Lorenzo and Andrea Dovizioso, was the fastest man on Friday with a 1m51.651, 1.9 seconds faster than the rider in second and completing 28 laps.

Hector Barbera (Avintia Racing) were constants at the top of the timesheets on Wednesday and Thursday in dry conditions before concluding their test program for the year, with Alvaro Bautista (Pull&Bear Aspar Team) quickest on Thursday ahead of the winter test break – and putting in the fastest overall MotoGP lap of the test.

The satellite Ducati riders were fastest as a number of MotoGP teams carried out more testing in Jerez ahead of the winter break.

Takuya Tsuda was P2, testing for Suzuki on the final day of 2017 preparation before the first test of the new year in Sepang, putting in 49 laps as again one of those to circulate most as the Japanese rider worked through a long plan of track activity.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing test rider Mika Kallio did 41 laps gathering more data for the Austrian factory ahead of their full-time debut in 2017, ending the day third fastest with a 1m53.814s. Bradley Smith was also on duty with the team, earlier in the week.

Hiroshi Aoyama, testing for HRC, was the only other MotoGP machine on track, putting in 34 laps on Friday with a best of 1m54.326s, with Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS rider Jack Miller the other on duty for the Japanese factory.

From MotoGP, those present throughout the test included Bautista and teammate Karel Abraham, Barbera and teammate Loris Baz, Pirro, Miller, Andrea Iannone riding the Team Suzuki Ecstar machine and Octo Pramac Yakhnich pairing Scott Redding and Danilo Petrucci. Movistar Yamaha MotoGP and Monster Yamaha Tech 3 did not attend the Jerez test, instead electing to test privately at Sepang International Circuit and Repsol Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez also sat Jerez out. Honda tested instead with Miller and Aoyama.

Aleix Espargaro and Sam Lowes were also present for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini as they settle into their new paddock home, with Espargaro completing a longer program of work after Lowes suffered a crash in the Valencia test, the Brit managing 20 laps on the second day in Jerez.

Next up is the first test of the new year at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia at the end of January. During the winter test ban there will still be plenty of racing.

With a full five days of testing at Jerez from Monday to Friday complete, World Superbike teams were able to get a head start on the New Year before the entire grid partakes in official pre-season testing from January.

Kawasaki Racing Team, Grillini, Althea BMW, Honda WorldSBK Team, Milwaukee Aprilia, Pata Yamaha and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati benefited this week, some teams for the whole week, others just with a couple of days of track time.

With mixed conditions throughout the week, teams were able to test various 2017 parts and settings in different types of conditions the Jerez test gave everyone an all round work out.

Kawasaki Racing Team enjoyed four days of track time throughout the week, after sitting out day one in the rain. The team further developed their new Ninja ZX-10RR with Jonathan Rea consistently putting in the fastest times throughout the week.

Rea worked on transmission improvements as well as with new tyres and completed a couple race simulations. With the fastest times this week, the Northern Irishman proved he’s very much at one with his new Kawasaki.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) had a contrasting week, after struggling on the first days. The Yorkshireman worked endlessly to alter his riding style for his new machine as well as comparing batteries from this season to the 2017 spec smaller batteries. He also worked on different base setups for next season as well as comparing and re-evaluating changes he’d implemented from the first test in Aragon a week ago.

Grillini Racing Team duo Ayrton Badovini and Ondrej Jezek only utilised Jerez on Monday and Tuesday. The pair mainly worked on Badovini’s bike, as well as using the time to get to know each other and find a comfortable working style within the team.

Althea BMW Racing Team had a solid two-day run on Monday and Tuesday, with Jordi Torres making huge comparisons using a new Fortis swingarm on his S 1000 RR. Markus Reiterberger mainly worked on base setups for the new season.

Stefan Bradl (Honda World Superbike Team) worked alone at the beginning of the week, after his Honda WorldSBK teammate Nicky Hayden had to rush home at the last minute with a knee injury days before the test.

The German WorldSBK rookie continued on the development he’d started the week before in Aragon and was able to get a run in on Monday in the rain, gaining much needed tyre data in wet conditions.

With five bikes present at Jerez for the Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team, the pair of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark spent the week testing new tanks, swing-arms and seat units on top of other new elements to their YZR-R1s.

With it only being Van der Mark´s second time out with the Yamaha team, it was an important week for the team to build up relationships as well as an understanding of the 2017 effort. Lowes was able to build on changes made throughout the season, in order to bring a stronger package with his fourth year for the team.

Milwaukee Aprilia made their full team debut at this week at Jerez with Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori getting their first taste of the RSV4 Superbike. Varied weather meant the pair were able to try the bike out in all types of conditions and provided them with the opportunity to understand the whole package.

At a circuit he dominated just months earlier, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) worked for the final three days on a new swingarm, as well as suspension set-up, new electronics and new forks by Ohlins that will be on their 2017 bikes. Teammate Marco Melandri shared the same testing plan, as he brings his mind-set back to being a full time racer. Both were able to set lap times close to Rea, who ended the days on top.

In a similar pattern to the start of the week, rain hampered the final days of testing action at Circuito de Jerez meaning little action was seen out on track.

With not much data to be gained from a damp track, riders will now have to wait until January to make improvements to their 2017 projects.