Camier fastest down under
Leon Camier was the fastest rider during day one of the SBK official test at Phillip Island ahead of this weekends season opener.
Today’s first day official World Superbike testing at Phillip Island saw twelve riders in less that one second and with Leon Camier’s time as the SBK field looks as competitive as ever for 2013.
The 26 year old Brit left it before posting a untouchable lap time of 1’31″243. Aided by the new asphalt that was laid down during the Australian summer Camier continued his scorching form from last week.
In second place was the resergent Leon Haslam back with Honda, and he was just 0.153s behind his compatriot, who in turn was just 0.005s ahead of Red Devils Roma Aprilia’s Michel Fabrizio.
Eugene Laverty made it three Brits in the top four as he was fourth fastest on his factory racing Aprilia. The Irishman head been at the head of the timesheets for most of the day, before eventually getting pipped at the end of the day.
Title favorite Marco Melandri concluded the day in fifth position, in spite of problems he is having with his shoulder. Despite the shoulder problems the Italian was just 0.242s behind Camier’s time.
After sitting out last week’s test due to an intestinal illness, a still under the weahter Carlos Checa, was back with purpose today as he finish in sixth position aboard his new 1199 Panigale, just 0.280s from Camier.
Davide Giugliano was 7th aboard his new Althea Aprillia, and he also impressed with longer stints on used tyres later in the day.
Jonathan Rea was ninth position on his Pata Honda Fireblade, but despite being in ninth, he was only 0.737s behind the fastest lap of the day.
2012 runner up Tom Sykes who is currently nursing a fractured hand bone was 10th position, still less than a second off Camier.
Ayrton Badovini was forced to sit out today after a horror crash last week, but he’ll be back on track on Friday morning with the first free practice of the season.
WSBK Phillip Island Day 1 test results;
1 L. CAMIER (GBR) Fixi Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 – 1′31.243
2 L. HASLAM (GBR) Pata Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR – 1′31.396 | +0.153
3 M. FABRIZIO (ITA) Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 Factory – 1′31.401 | +0.158
4 E. LAVERTY (IRL) Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory – 1′31.452 | +0.209
5 M. MELANDRI (ITA) BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK BMW S1000 RR – 1′31.485 | +0.242
6 C. CHECA (ESP) Team Ducati Alstare Ducati Panigale 1199R – 1′31.523 | +0.280
7 D. GIUGLIANO (ITA) Althea Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory – 1′31.701 | +0.458
8 S. GUINTOLI (FRA) Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory – 1′31.966| +0.723
9 J. REA (GBR) Pata Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR – 1′31.980 | +0.737
10 T. SYKES (GBR) Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R – 1′32.061 | +0.818
11 C. DAVIES (GBR) BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK BMW S1000 RR – 1′32.077| +0.834
12 J. STAUFFER (AUS) Team Honda Racing Honda CBR1000RR – 1′32.231 | +0.988
13 I. CLEMENTI (ITA) HTM Racing BMW S1000 RR – 1′32.789 | +1.546
14 J. CLUZEL (FRA) Fixi Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 – 1′32.817 | +1.574
15 V. IANNUZZO (ITA) Grillini Dentalmatic SBK BMW S1000 RR – 1′33.162 | +1.919
16 M. NEUKIRCHNER (GER) MR-Racing Ducati Panigale 1199R 1′33.541 | +2.298
17 L. BAZ (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R – 1′33.628 | +2.385
18 G. ALLERTON (AUS) Next Gen Motorsports BMW S1000 RR – 1′34.009 | +2.766
19 F. SANDI (ITA) Pedercini Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′34.094 -4 | +2.851
20 A. LUNDH (SWE) Pedercini Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′34.612 | +3.369