WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu fastest on final day of testing

Toprak Razgatlioglu tops the final day of pre-season testing in Jerez, with the 2021 World Champion finishing first on both days.

Conditions for the second day of testing in Jerez were perfect, with the top four riders separated by 0.377. It was a dramatic day, with rookies performing and WorldSBK Champions crashing on the final day.

Razgatlioglu set the fastest time of the day with a 1:38.269, on his Pata Yamaha. Toprak would aim to spend the day trying to improve on the acceleration out of the corners, trying to get the power to the ground.

Rival Jonathan Rea would be just 0.083 behind, as he would complete 56 laps in today’s test sessions. Rea would set this time in the final hour of the test, while KRT Kawasaki tried to improve the balance of the bike.

Alvaro Bautista would complete 86 laps across the day and would end it in third position, as the Spaniard tries to defend his title. His teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi would finish the day in fourth place.

The Ducati duo would test new parts on their 2023 Ducati, as they attempt to do the double this year. They would test new exhausts and winglets, trying to find every tenth of a second.

Scott Redding finished today in 12^th place, as the British rider starts his second season with the German manufacturer. His teammate, van de Mark would finish the day in 16^th a further 0.511 behind.

Honda rider Iker Lecuona would end the day in ninth position, one second off Razgatlioglu and set 68 laps. Meanwhile, teammate Xavi Vierge finished the day in 13^th as the ex-Moto2 rider continues to adjust to the Superbike.

Before Toprak would set his fastest time of the day, he would crash at turn 13, going into the gravel heavily. He was able to return to the track later in the day, on his second bike where he went fastest.

Tom Sykes would also crash on the final day of testing, crashing in the final few minutes of the day. He would finish the day in 17^th place, on his return to the WorldSBK with Puccetti Kawasaki.

Rookie Aegerter in the top six

The fastest rookie of the day was Dominique Aegerter who jumped up to sixth in the day’s standings. The GRT rider has spent the last two years in WorldSSP and won the title back-to-back.

Danilo Petrucci would be the fastest rookie on day one however, he would finish as the second rookie of the day. He would also end the day, eighth overall as the ex-MotoGP rider gets to grips with his Barni Spark Ducati.

Remy Gardner had a far better day, finishing down in 10^th place with a 1:39.464. The GRT Yamaha team will have a full rookie line-up for 2023.

WorldSSP

Niccolo Bulega would top the Supersport times once again, on the Aruba.it Racing Ducati. Can Oncu would finish the day in second less than two-tenths of the Italian, who moved from Moto2 in 2022.

Federico Caricasulo would finish the day 23^rd overall and third in class, on his Althea Racing Ducati. He would set a lap time of 1:42.012 which was just 0.154 off Oncu, as the Italian aims for another good season. Caricasulo finished the season in fourth place, taking a total of five podiums in the season.

John Mcphee was on track again today, finishing down in 28^th overall with a lap time of 1:43.655. This lap time put him sixth in class, ahead of Yuta Okaya on the Prodina Team’s Kawasaki. Yuta Okaya’s best lap time was 1:46.225 but would spend most of the riding without a transponder.

Multiple non-Championship riders would be on track for the two days of testing, including multiple Grand Prix riders. Sam Lowes would finish the day in 26^th overall, he would be riding a stock Yamaha R1, as he prepares for Moto2.

Supersport 300 World Champion Ana Carrasco would end the day with 1:48.906 as the Spanish rider prepared for the season. She would finish the day in 32^nd, riding 42 laps throughout the day.

Her teammate, David Munoz would also be on track, to prepare himself for his Moto3 season. He would be riding a Yamaha R6 as the Spanish rider would get himself some extra track time.

The WorldSBK class will return to the track next week, where riders will test on the Portimão circuit. The test will last two days and will be held from the 31^st of January to the 1^st of February.