FIM Supersport World Championship
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Victoria, Australia
February 19-20, 2018
Best Combined Test Times (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Yam YZF-R6), 1:33.499
2. Lucas Mahias, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:33.547
3. Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam YZF-R6), 1:33.643
4. Sandro Cortese, Germany (Yam YZF-R6), 1:33.871
5. Anthony West, Australia (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:34.038
6. Luke Stapleford, UK (Tri Daytona 675R), 1:34.074
7. Raffaele De Rosa, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:34.081
8. Kenan Sofuoglu, Turkey (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:34.161
9. Jules Cluzel, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:34.227
10. Hikari Okubo, Japan (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:34.507
11. Niki Tuuli, Finland (Hon CBR600RR), 1:34.555
12. Mike Di Meglio, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:34.864
13. Kyle Smith, UK (Hon CBR600RR), 1:34.954
14. Ayrton Badovini, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:35.031
15. Stefan Hill, UK (Tri Daytona 675R), 1:35.056
16. Loris Cresson, Belgium (Yam YZF-R6), 1:35.140
17. Tom Toparis, Australia (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:35.490
18. Michael Canducci, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:35.655
19. Thomas Gradinger, Austria (Yam YZF-R6), 1:35.670
20. Jaime Van Sikkelerus, Netherlands (Hon CBR600RR), 1:35.672
21. Nacho Calero, Spain (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:35.698
22. Hannes Soomer, Estonia (Hon CBR600RR), 1:36.191
23. Lachlan Epis, Australia (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:36.511
24. Aiden Wagner, Australia (Hon CBR600RR), 1:37.025
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:
WorldSSP: Krummenacher impresses to top final day
Official Phillip Island Test comes to a close with top ten split by a second
The opening practise of the day got underway under the sunny Australian skies, and the FIM Supersport World Championship were preparing for the opening round of the season with the final day of testing, and Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) impressed with a blistering time in the mornings session to end on top.
Reigning world champion Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) had a strong opening to his defending season as champion, and spent the majority of the two days at the top of the timing screens, and was narrowly beaten to the top by 0.048s. Feeling confident ahead of the Yamaha Finance Australian Round, he put in over 70 laps across the two days. Whilst his team-mate Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) had a tough second day, unable to set a time in FP4. Despite this, he ended the day in third position overall with a lap time of 1.33.643.
Newcomer to the championship Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) sat in fourth position overall as he is already impressing in the WorldSSP class, clearly getting to grips with the YZF-R6. Home hero Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing) completed the day in the top five, just half a second off the top of the times.
Five time world champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) had a tough second day Down Under, as the Turkish rider was working on different set-up options throughout the day. Finishing half a second off the top, there was a full second between the top ten meaning we are set for a very competitive start to the WorldSSP season.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
New Season Awaits Sofuoglu And Okubo
Kawasaki Puccetti Racing rider Kenan Sofuoglu and his new team-mate Hikari Okubo finished eighth and tenth fastest in the final pre-season test of the 2018 WorldSSP campaign at Phillip Island, before the racing starts for real next weekend in Australia.
Five-time world champion Sofuoglu, who is now fully recovered from pelvic injures suffered in 2017, spent much of the two testing days at Phillip Island looking for an improved set-up package. As a result was unable to go for one fast lap to move beyond the top eight in the combined times, or do a final long-run to simulate real race conditions.
Even though he is rebuilding confidence and full one-lap pace after missing much of the 2017 season through injury, Sofuoglu was only 0.662 seconds from the fastest test time.
Japanese rider Okubo was one second behind the fastest rider of all, and ranked tenth overall in a field of 24 who took part in the official WorldSSP tests at Phillip Island. He is a new signing for the Kawasaki Puccetti Racing team this year and is still finding his optimum machine set-up at this stage.
Now, with the first race of the season soon to take place over 18 laps of the 4.445km circuit, the main work will be to make a tyre choice and machine set-up package to last the entire race distance, at a circuit that is often very hard on the left hand side of the tyres.
Kenan Sofuoglu, stated: “We know our bike over many years of racing and we wanted to find the next step with the machine set-up. We went in many different directions with the bike’s settings but, like in the Portimao and Jerez tests, it looks like in the end we have gone back to our basic set-up. We had a very good set-up in the past and it is not easy to improve in that package. Because we spent so much time working in that area today I only had a chance to try a race simulation yesterday. I think we finished in eighth position after the tests but we will see what happens for the race. It is always different and maybe I need to search for my confidence in the race itself. I am 100% fit to ride the bike. My 2017 injury is fixed and I do not have any problems, I am only searching for some confidence right now.”
Hikari Okubo, stated: “I am happy about these two days of testing because I had the chance to improve the set-up of bike. Even if this is not the first time I rode the Kawasaki – I tested in Almeria and Portimao – I just needed more time to understand the bike. Together with the team I worked to find a better set-up and to make the tyres last the duration of the race. We tried a different set-up with the suspension, I made two long runs and we are probably on the right path to find a solution for the race.”
Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) was the fastest Kawasaki rider in the tests, in fifth place after two days of dry, but windy, track action.
Wildcard rider, and Australian compatriot of West, Tom Toparis (Cube Racing Kawasaki) secured the 17th best time, one place up on Michael Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) in the timesheets.
Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) was 21st and Lachlan Epis (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) 23rd.
More, from a press release issued by CIA Landlord Insurance Honda:
Eventful Philip Island test for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda
CIA Landlord Insurance Honda will be represented by only Niki Tuuli at Philip Island after replacement rider Aiden Wagner was forced to withdraw as a result of problems from his recent knee surgery.
Wagner was drafted in to the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda team for round one in Australia to replace the injured Andrew Irwin who yesterday underwent successful surgery to his broken hand but it proved to be ultimately too much of a challenge for Wagner and he had to admit defeat.
Tuuli concluded the two-day test in 11th place on the combined timesheets after a tough second day on track. The Finnish rider lost a lot of track time when his rear tyre catastrophically failed crashing him out at the exit of turn 2 and he was unable to improve his time.
CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “It’s been an eventful couple of days. We lost Andrew on day one when he went into turn 2 too hot and ran out of track. Both he and the bike hit the tyres and he broke his hand which put him out of the event. We like to support the WSS series and so tried to run another rider but Aiden’s very recent knee re-construction surgery prevents him from taking part any further which is a shame”
“Niki is trying a lot of things. The nature of Philip Island track is very different to most tracks in the world and certainly to Portimao and Jerez where we have tested previously. This morning we got up to mid 34s and were looking good. We were just about to do a long run and a time attack run on the better of the two rear tyres. On the first lap of the two-lap run the rear tyre failed blowing a hole in the side of the tyre and Niki crashed with just under an hour of the session to go and that’s a lot of time to lose.”
“I would confidently say that based on these conditions we are in far better shape than we look and come qualifying and the race, Niki will be challenging right at the front. Rain is now forecast for all three days which will change everything for all the riders anyway. We have opted not to run a second rider at this event, it has the potential to compromise our position as a team. Realistically it is better both for the team and for Andrew and he now has the time to recover from his injury and be fully fit for Thailand.”
Round One of the 2018 World Supersport Championship kicks off with Free Practice One at 10:40am (+11 GMT) on Friday 23rd February.