WorldSBK: Toprak tops day one of testing

Toprak Razgatlioglu tops the timing sheets after day one of the pre-season test in Jerez.

Testing in sunny Jerez got underway on Wednesday, the first day of 2023 for the teams and riders. Where the World Superbike riders made their way onto the track on the first day of running.

Track action would be very limited in the first 90 minutes of the day, due to cold weather. This would keep most riders in their pit box, with Bautista being the first rider to set a lap time.

2021 WorldSBK champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu was first after day one, with a lap time of 1:38.597. He would be closely followed by the reigning WorldSBK champion Alvaro Bautista, who was 0.255 behind.

Many parts and bikes would be tested today, with Bautista using his 2022 and 2023 bikes for the test. This would give the team a direct comparison for any changes. His teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi would finish in third, behind Bautista.

Crash for Bautista

However, not everything would go smoothly for Bautista, crashing in the afternoon session. The crash would happen at turn one and would not cause too much of a disruption as he would complete over 80 laps.

Speaking to speedweek.com, Bautista, said: “I had Ana Carrasco about half a straight line in front of me, but in the brake zone I got way too close to her. I had to straighten the bike, came to the dirty outside of the curve and my front wheel slipped away. Nothing happened. Ana should ride with the amateurs, at the moment she is far too slow to ride with the superbike and supersport boys. That’s not very certain.”

Jonathan Rea would finish, as the top Kawasaki for the day, in fourth place, ahead of Lowes. The six-time WorldSBK champion would post a lap time of 1:39.302, as Rea attempts to reclaim the championship.

Scott Redding would finish the day in 10^th position on the brand-new BMW, as he aims to improve from 2022. Michael van der Mark would return, after a 2022 season and would end the day in the top 15. The brand-new BMW has a far bigger air intake compared to anything we have seen before.

Returning to the championship is Tom Sykes, who spent last season in BSB riding for PBM Ducati. He would finish the first day of testing in Jerez, finishing 16^th on the Puccetti Kawasaki with a 1:40.882.

Rookies on the pace

The fastest Rookie of the day was previous MotoGP rider, Danilo Petrucci who will ride for BARNI Sparks Racing. He would finish sixth in the season, after spending a year in MotoAmerica.

Double World Supersport champion, Dominique Aegerter would make his first outing with the team in 2023. Aegerter would finish the day in ninth place, ahead of the previous GRT rider, Gerloff.

Remy Gardner is moving from MotoGP this season; he would finish the day in 14^th position on his Yamaha. The Australian was less than two seconds off the fastest time of the day, as he aims to improve.

Notably missing for the pre-season test in the 2022 British Superbike champion, Bradley Ray. He would sign for the Motoxracing team and will only race in the European rounds of the championship.

World Supersport

The Superbike class were not the only bikes on track today, with the Supersport class joining them. Niccolo Bulega would finish as the top Supersport bike for the day, just seven-tenths of WorldSBK rider Baldassarri.

The Supersport class would be extremely close, with the top three riders separated by just 0.072. Can Oncu and Federico Caricasulo would finish the day in second and third in class and would be impressive. 

Oncu has two busy days ahead of him in Jerez, as the Turkish rider has four bikes to test for this season. He would finish third in the 2022 standings, claiming eight podiums in the season.

Making the jump from Moto3 is John McPhee, who made his first outing on the VINCE64 Racing Kawasaki. The team has support from Puccetti Racing this year, with the Scotsman finishing 3.662 seconds from Bulega.

Sam Lowes would also be on track today, riding a Superstock machine, riding on the track with his brother Alex. Lowes will be racing in Moto2 this year and is continuing with the Marc VDS team.