FIM Supersport World Championship
Misano World Circuit, San Marino
June 19, 2015
Free Practice Two Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. PJ JACOBSEN, USA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:38.569
2. Jules CLUZEL, France (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:38.569
3. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Turkey (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:38.650
4. Kyle SMITH, UK (Honda CBR600RR), 1:39.116, crash
5. Gino REA, UK (Honda CBR600RR), 1:39.336
6. Lorenzo ZANETTI, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:39.357
7. Marco FACCANI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:39.498
8. Alex BALDOLINI, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:39.818
9. Christian GAMARINO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:40.082
10. Fabio MENGHI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:40.195
13. Martin CARDENAS, Colombia (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.234
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:
Jacobsen and Cluzel lap identically to top timesheets in Day 1
After two closely-contested Free Practice sessions at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’, PJ Jacobsen (CORE” Motorsport Thailand Honda) ended the World Supersport opening day as the joint fastest rider on track on combined times. The American, together with French rider Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) posted identical 1.38.569s laps, close to the outright circuit best set by Michele Pirro in 2010. Jacobsen was credited with the top spot, as his second fastest lap-time was quicker than the one set by Cluzel.
Behind the aforementioned duo, current points leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was only 0.081s behind to end the closest opening day of World Supersport action so far this season in third overall.
Kyle Smith crashed unhurt from his PATA Honda to end the day fourth ahead of Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) and Lorenzo Zanetti on the second factory MV Agusta in sixth. The Italian rider suffered a technical problem in the final minutes of the second session.
Marco Faccani (San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki), Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25 MV Agusta), Christian Gamarino (Team Go Eleven Kawasaki) and Fabio Menghi (VFT Racing Yamaha) completed the top ten, in which five of the riders were Italian.
Free Practice 3 takes place tomorrow morning at 10:45 local time, with the World Supersport sole qualifying session scheduled to start at 15:55.
More, from a press release issued by CIA Landloard Insurance Honda:
Gino in touch with front-runners
CIA LANDLORD INSURANCE HONDA’S Gino Rea was a fast fifth in Friday first practice for the eighth round of the World Supersport Championship at Misano in Italy, well under 1-second behind the fastest on the day.
Gino said: “That was a decent day and we have a direction to follow for tomorrow. I am finding my CIA Landlords Insurance Honda turns better when the tyres are worn, so we are working on the balance so I can make the most of the grip when I have it. If we can do that we will improve outright lap times for sure.”
Italian ace Riccardo Russo in front of a home crowd was 11th with Martin Cardenas impressing on his first visit to the track in 13th.
Italian young hopeful Kevin Manfredi, standing in for the injured Kieran Clarke, took a promising 18th after two sessions on the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda.
There is a practice session, followed by qualifying tomorrow. The race takes place at 1140 local time on Sunday, 21st June.
CIA Landlords Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “It has been a good day for CIA Landlords Insurance Honda. Gino is looking comfortable and improving. We need to improve the turning and balance of the bike when it has more grip.
“Ricky wants to do well here and is close on times with the riders around him. He is improving and we are looking for a step up in qualifying.
“It is Martin’s first time at the circuit and he is getting to grips with it and a setting for his bike quickly. We will be working to continue his rate of progress so he can confidently fight inside the top 10 on Sunday.
“We welcome Kevin to the team and he has not disappointed. He has a lot to learn with his CIA Landlords Insurance Honda CBR600RR but is doing a good job. He’s had a promising first day and we will build on that and see what happens tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda:
Smith on Misano pace
Kyle Smith set the fourth fastest overall time in today’s two free practice sessions for Sunday’s eighth-round World Supersport race at Misano in Italy as fellow Honda CBR600RR rider PJ Jacobsen took provisional pole position.
Jacobsen’s time of 1m38.569s was identical to that of French rider Jules Cluzel with 23-year-old Pata Honda rider Smith, who crashed midway through this afternoon’s second session, just 0.5s off the top spot.
Smith had been second fastest during the morning’s opening free practice, feeling more confident with the front feeling of his Pata Honda CBR machine. However, after experimenting unsuccessfully with a different rear tyre in the second session, he and his crew are confident of improved times tomorrow.
Kyle Smith – P4, 1m39.116s
We had a good start with P2 this morning and I felt comfortable on the bike. The first outing this afternoon gave the same feeling as when I finished FP1 and the few changes we’d made felt like an improvement and I matched the morning time quite quickly. I came in to try a different rear tyre that worked for us in Portimao but it didn’t give me a good feeling here. It kept pushing the front and I had some chatter problems. I had a small crash and, after that, I didn’t feel comfortable so I think it was a problem with the rear. We didn’t have any more tyres to try but P4 is not too far off the head group. With the improvements that we made and the tyre from this morning, I feel we can be back there challenging PJ [Jacobsen] and the others at the front tomorrow.
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator
Kyle had a good day and he was quick from the off this morning when he was second fastest. He had a small crash this afternoon but nothing really to worry about. I think there’s more to come tomorrow because there is a better tyre to choose. Tomorrow we’ll continue the work, which is going well, and I don’t think we’ll need to make too many changes.