New Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty topped the timesheets as
World Superbike testing concluded at the Portimao circuit. The Irishman just edged new teammate Max Biaggi for the top position, the factory Aprilias joined by satellite RSV rider Chaz Davies, as well as a quartet of BMWs and a pair of the Suzukis.
Ayrton Badovini turns laps on his BMW S1000R during testing at Portimão. The BMW Italia team will live up to its name with an all-Italian lineup of Badovini and Fabrizio.
Although highsiding earlier in the test, Laverty’s Aprilia debut proves impressive, as the former Yamaha Factory rider managed to lap under the existing Portimao record of 1’42.774. The man who holds the record, Biaggi, was second fastest of the day at 1'42.8. As for the third RSV, Davies was a half-second off lead pace, the 2011 World Supersport champ making his SBK debut. The Welsh rider will campaign 2012 aboard the ParkinGO Aprilia (the team had previously been linked with Ducati machinery).
Laverty trailed the factory BMW efforts of Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri during the first two days of the three-day test. In fact, Haslam technically was fastest on Day 3 as well, though he set the pace via qualifying tires. Joining the British rider was new teammate Melandri, who was dead even with Haslam on race pace and four-tenths slower than the leader (his former factory Yamaha teammate).
Riding steady with the factory BMWs was Ayrton Badovini on the BMW Italia S1000R. The most consistent BMW rider in the latter half of the 2011 season, Badovini will be joined this year with new teammate Michel Fabrizio. The latter rider was eighth fastest on the unofficial timesheets.
The Crescent Suzuki team also attended the Portimao test. Leon Camier got his first crack at the GSX-R1000, the former Aprilia factory rider running into some technical issues as the test opened as he finished seventh fastest on Day 3. Camier will run alongside John Hopkins in 2012, although the American was unable to participate at Portimão. Hopper is still recovering from complications from his finger injury at Brno, where he competed as a wild card GP rider. In his stead Alistair Seeley turned test laps for the team. Hopkins just missed claiming the 2011 British Superbike crown with Crescent Suzuki and moves up along with the team to compete full time in the 2012 WSB series (Camier is a former BSB champ).
Also testing on the Iberian were the Kawasaki teams at Valencia. Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz tested the ZX-10R, with Kawasaki claiming Sykes managed to lap under the Superpole record on race tires. The Pedercini team also tested at Valencia with Tati Mercado on the Superbike and Bryan Staring on the Superstock machine.
The November ending tests close out the 2011 action, as a six week test ban extends into January.
Leon Camier rides the Suzuki during testing at Portimão.
1. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) 1'42.7
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 1'42.8
3. Ayrton Badovini (BMW) 1'43.1 (1'42.5)
4. Leon Haslam (BMW) 1'43.1 (1'42.2)
5. Marco Melandri (BMW) 1'43.1 (1'42.4)
6. Chaz Davies (Aprilia) 1'43.2
7. Leon Camier (Suzuki) 1'43.8
8. Michel Fabrizio (BMW) 1'43.9 (1'43.3)
9. Alistair Seeley (Suzuki) 1'44.1 (1'43.5)
