WorldSBK: 2022 Jerez Testing, Day Two

The two-day test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship came to a conclusion with six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topping the timesheets as the only rider to lap in the 1’38s bracket across both days of the offical test.

Despite only half a day of testing at Jerez, Jonathan Rea topped the timesheets ahead of teammate Alex Lowes as the Jerez test came to an end.

After sitting out of day one of testing, Rea also only took to the track around 13:00 Local Time for a half-day test, but it did not stop him going straight to the top of the timesheets with a 1’38.851s. Rea was able to complete 61 laps in his half-day of testing, lapping faster than teammate Alex Lowes by around 1.4 seconds.

Lowes had spent the first day of action focusing on the front of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR machine before switching his attention to the rear on day two as he looked to focus on corner exit improvements. Lowes completed 59 laps and posted a best lap time of 1’40.266s. Both Rea and Lowes were able to test Pirelli’s new-for-2022 SCQ tyre during their day two action.

“Lowes had spent the firs day of action focusing on the front of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR machine before switching his attention to the rear on day two as he looked to focus on corner exit improvements.”

Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the third Kawasaki rider on track and the final WorldSBK rider on day two, as the Frenchman continued his comeback from a scaphoid injury that forced him out of the end of the 2021 campaign. Mahias had some new components on his bike, with more to come including updates such as the gearbox and aerodynamics. Mahias also tested a new suspension at Jerez as Kawasaki Puccetti evaluates Öhlins suspension. He completed 64 laps with a best lap time of 1’40.542s.

Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) ended the day on top in the WorldSSP category after completing 45 laps. Running the old bike with a new engine in a hybrid, the Finn posted a best lap time of 1’42.341s as the sole full-time MV Agusta tester on track. He had been joined on day one and part of day two by five-time champion Kenan Sofuoglu after his nephew, Bahattin Sofuoglu, tested positive for COVID-19 before the test.

Only three WorldSBK riders took to the track as Team HRC opted to miss day two of action after a “fantastic” test day.

Tuuli was followed by Turkish duo Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Kenan Sofuoglu, with the latter switching his attentions to Kawasaki Puccetti in the afternoon. With a new ruleset coming into force in WorldSSP for 2022, the team drafted in Sofuoglu to test out the new brake systems for the upcoming campaign including a new brake pump and disc. Sofuoglu took to the track on Öncü’s #61 Kawasaki ZX-6R machine, with the #61 bike completing 85 laps, the most of anyone, with a best time of 1’42.361s. Sofuoglu’s best recorded time, when he was with the MV Agusta machine, was a 1’43.774s after putting 30 laps to his name.

Yari Montella, who is making his full-time debut in WorldSSP in 2022 for Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, added 49 laps to his tally across the two-day test despite a few crashes for the Italian. He had a tumble at the final corner on day one but was able to re-mount and continue riding, while he also had two more crashes today including one at Turn 10. Despite this, he posted a best time of 1’43.875ss on an eventful two days for the Italian.

“Tuuli was followed by Turkish duo Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Kenan Sofuoglu, with the latter switching his attention to Kawasaki Puccetti in the afternoon.”

WorldSSP rookie Ben Currie (Motozoo Racing by Puccetti) and teammate Jeffrey Buis added 44 and 49 laps to their experience respectively on day two, with Australian rider Currie riding on track despite a wrist injury he noticed on day one; he had some physio in the evening to ensure he was able to ride again on the second day. His best time was a 1’44.606s while Buis, who took part in the final two rounds of WorldSSP in 2021, was around one second slower. Ana Carrasco was also on track at Jerez, testing a WorldSSP machine for the first time, completing 52 laps with a best of 1’47.553s.