STRONG EUROPEAN TESTS FOR CRESCENT SUZUKI WSB
Crescent Suzuki has concluded its pre-season testing in Spain and Portugal with Alex Lowes and Randy de Puniet completing a successful four days’ work.
After the difficult conditions endured at Portimao, the two days spent at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit proved well-timed, with dry and sunny conditions allowing a detailed testing schedule for both Lowes and de Puniet’s latest-specification Suzuki GSX-R1000s.
Jerez saw the team work with suspension provider Ohlins on new front fork and rear shock settings, implement a new engine-brake strategy to improve corner-entry consistency, further evaluate the new 2015 specification Yoshimura engine and exhaust system; and work on general balance settings for braking stability and turning to discover the GSX-R’s best performance over race distance.
The test saw Lowes complete over 170 laps of the Andalucían asphalt, de Puniet totalling 140, with competitive stints set during both detailed setting and longer runs. The British racer posted the test’s second fastest lap on race tyres, a 1.41.0, and improved further to a 1.40.1 on a qualifying Pirelli to leave him sixth quickest on the sheets. His French team-mate concluded the test in ninth position overall after posting 1’40.977 – despite an earlier high-side curtailing much of his afternoon’s work – and both Suzuki racers remain eager and determined for the season ahead.
Crescent Suzuki now returns to its UK base to fine-tune preparations in readiness for the opening round of the 2015 eni FIM Superbike World Championship in three weeks’ time. Lowes’ Crew Chief Pete Jennings and Technical Co-Ordinator Dale Meech immediately travel to Japan for a week of engine-assembly with partners Yoshimura, before joining the rest of the team at Phillip Island for the official pre-season test on Monday February 16th.
Alex Lowes:
“I’m really happy with the testing over the past four days. The team is working really well and we did a good job overall with our consistency and speed. I’m working hard to improve my approach to testing and the technical development, and I think we put in a very solid, consistent performance here at Jerez. I rode a lot of laps and most importantly I enjoyed every one! I took a decent step on the qualifying tyre but it was still within the target of “no mistakes” and no risks. Huge thanks to all the boys for their efforts and I really can’t wait for Phillip Island and race one.”
Randy de Puniet:
“Portugal was not so good due to the weather conditions and I only managed 35 dry laps on the last day, it was enough to learn the track but not to be fast, but I think for the race it will be ok – it’s a nice track but not easy! Jerez was much better with two good days, until this afternoon! I had a high-side at turn one, with a strange feeling in the rear tyre after leaving the pits, so we lost time and a little confidence but we just tried to continue to work on the bike to regain the feeling. Overall the test was quite good, I just need to continue to work to adapt my riding style to the GSX-R but I think we have a good pace and with a little more improvement in Australia we will be ready to fight for a good position.”
Paul Denning – Team Manager:
“It’s been a good test. Alex worked really hard and was extremely competitive – second quickest on race tyres and a good consistent rhythm and on old tyres he was looking very strong. The GSX-R seems competitive on speed compared to last year, with extremely close lap-times between the top guys. Alex had completed 170 laps over the two-days before being the first rider to head out on a qualifying tyre. If we had hung back, taken a bit of a rest and then really tried hard, there may have been another few tenths in the bike, but the important factor was taking a step forward in the lap-time. We struggled in qualifying last year but have taken a good step forward with the pure performance potential.
“Randy had a decent test here, his best time on the race tyre was a 1’41.9, putting him in quite a competitive position. Unfortunately he had a little front-end crash at the hairpin and then suffered a high-side at the same place Guintoli crashed yesterday on the exit of turn one. The repairs set us back time-wise and Randy lost a little rhythm, but he came back to set a 1’40.9 on the qualifiers. Not a perfect test but a good steady job! When it comes to Phillip Island, we know the bike works well and Randy has a lot of experience there, so the plan is to keep the bike as consistent as we can and let the rhythm come.
“Overall a positive approach by everyone involved and brilliant preparation by the team; there is always a lot more work to do but we’re looking forward to Phillip Island.”
Jerez – Unofficial combined times: 1. Davide Guigliano (Ducati) 1’39.332: 2. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’39.694: 3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’39.745: 4. Chaz Davies (Ducati) 1’40.062: 5. Leon Haslam (Aprilia) 1’40.069: 6. Alex Lowes (Crescent Suzuki) 1’40.159. 9. Randy de Puniet (Crescent Suzuki) 1.40.977.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Kawasaki Racing Team riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes made the very best use of two days of dry and sunny conditions to complete their final European pre-season preparations at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain, between 26 and 27 January.
With so many new technical regulations in the 2015 FIM Superbike World Championship, and previous winter tests having been affected by poor weather, the Jerez tests took on a special significance.
A welcome 25°C track temperature arrived in the afternoons at Jerez meaning both Rea and Sykes made real progress in the set-up of their Ninja ZX-10Rs. Each declared they were ready to head off to Australia for the final official tests in buoyant and confident mood.
Lap times at Jerez were fully competitive for each rider, in both race and qualifying set-ups, with Sykes posting a best of 1’39.694 and Rea a 1’39.745, each on a qualifying tyre. This is below the existing track best, despite more stringent technical rules that limit engine tuning in 2015.
Tom set around 85 laps on day one and 86 on the final day, and Rea did more than 80 on day one and over 70 on the final day.
The KRT riders and team will have their next track engagement during the first official test sessions at Phillip Island in Australia, on 16 and 17 February, before the opening round of the 14-round series on Sunday 22 February.
Tom Sykes: “It has been a successful two days of testing and we have worked through a lot of variables, coming much closer to a base setting for the bike. In general I am very happy. We found more of our potential with the race tyre and the qualifying tyre and just did one final lap on each to understand the work we had done. That confirmed that we are headed in the right direction. The two last laps I did were quite relaxed, not expecting too much, and I saw some riders using more than one qualifying tyre – maybe even three. We are going to Phillip Island quite happy that we are focused on where we need to be and hopefully we will be fine-tuning in the glorious sunshine. It was important to have these two days of consistent weather and we did a lot of laps. The weather gave us a good stable test.”
Jonathan Rea: “It was a good test and more so because we got dry track time. We were able to evaluate lots of things. I tried quite a lot of geometries and changing the balance of the bike quite a lot. We never found a big difference in lap time, even when we were radically changing the bike. That proves to us that the bike is working in quite a big window. We found a big step forward with the engine management and electronics on the afternoon of the second day and I was able to improve my lap time quite a bit. That filled me full of joy and confidence. I was able to do a race simulation at this test and I understood how the bike behaves when the tyre drops. I think we have the right tools in the garage to keep working and be in good shape when the lights go out at Phillip Island. At the end of the day we tried a qualifying tyre and it works well on this bike. It has been a busy and positive test.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Tom Sykes, commented: “With these kinds of rule changes, and with the weather we have had at previous tests, we would have liked to have some more days on track like this. That said, from the test plan we had going into winter all the test items have now been tested. Maybe 75% of this material was confirmed one way or another and we are ready for the next test at Phillip Island. We found a nice base bike for Tom and he is happy, making jokes and having fun with everyone afterwards, so I know we have reached our target. In lap times we were one of the quickest right now and over race distance we are in a very good position.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, commented: “We had a very positive test and Jonathan did lots of laps. We made him work hard because we lost some time in the previous tests because of weather. Race pace was very good. On day one we did a race simulation and Jonathan was very fast. Overall I am very pleased because we understand many things now and we go to Phillip Island with a much clearer view of our starting point and where to focus next. I am sure in PI we will make another step in understanding the whole package. Now I am really pleased because Jonathan is very professional and we are starting to understand him quite well. We are working for him 200% and all the staff are happy, including Jonathan. All together it seems to be going in the right way.”
Ichiro Yoda, KRT Senior Engineer, commented: “We found some direction at this test and I feel we are OK. Both riders were happy about their pace. Because of the technical regulation changes we lost some top power for 2015 but we also found also something to compensate, in the chassis and some other things. Jerez does not make a big ‘request’ for top speed or top engine power, and we could improve in other areas. We had two days of very good weather and a track temperature more than 20 degrees. We found out a bit more about our latest engine management system. We have two good riders and their input helps us to add the final touches to the engine management system.”
More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki:
Kawasaki Puccetti Team Ready for Australia Now
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing riders Kenan Sofuoglu and Marco Faccani found all the track time they needed to make final preparations to head to Australia for the first round of the 2015 FIM Supersport World Championship after two days of dry weather testing at Jerez in Spain.
During the Jerez tests, held on 26 and 27 January, each rider was able to make up for time lost at a previous weather affected session at Portimao last week.
Sofuoglu now has his 2015 engine spec chosen and after working well on his Ninja ZX-6R’s electronics system in particular, Sofuoglu is more than ready for the official tests and then the opening round of the championship at Phillip Island in Australia in February.
2014 Superstock 600 champion Faccani made great strides in adapting himself from a stock Ninja ZX-6R to his new full WSS machine. The 2015 season will be his full rookie year in the WSS class.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “This has been the most productive of all our tests, especially the final day. We started out just setting up the bike and working on it but on the final morning we worked on the forks and completely different electronics, which were incredibly improved. We are very happy with our general set-up now. Our single lap times were very fast, but more impressive was our race pace. If you compare our pace with the 2014 race we were much faster than anybody. It looks like we are heading in a good direction and now I can tell we are ready to go to Phillip Island.”
Marco Faccani: “The test went well and we tried a lot of solutions on the bike. The weather was really sunny each day so we had time to work. My lap time was quite good and we a lot of work finding good settings with the clutch and suspension. The test for me was very important because we only have two more days in Australia before the first round so it was important to get in a good pace as early as we could. I think I did around 70 laps on day one and 50 on the second day.”
Manuel Puccetti: Team Manger: “I am very happy about this double winter test in Portimao and Jerez. Our riders have done really good work on the bike and have tried many new parts; engine, electronics, brakes, clutch, suspension and more. Everybody in the team worked together with both riders to really improve the bike and now we are ready for a great season.”