Phillip Island WSB test: First blood to Checa

Carlos Checa reiterated his credentials as a championship contender in 2011 by dominating the first day of official testing at Phillip Island. The Spanish rider stunned his rivals with an impressive 1m31. 383s best – nearly a second faster than his closest rival.

Frenchman Sylvan Guintoli showed that the combination of his Liberty Racing Ducati and the flowing Phillip Island circuit suit his style by ending the day a surprise second fastest. Team-mate Jacob Smrz made it a good day for Ducati with the 1200cc v-twins occupying the top three places on the time sheets.

World Champion Max Biaggi waited for the second session before he ventured out on track but was immediately on the pace in fourth place ahead of fellow Italian Michel Fabrizio on his Alstare Suzuki.

Tom Sykes proved that his winter testing programme onboard the new Kawasaki ZX-10R has been a successful one after he finished in sixth place and top Brit. Marco Melandri was satisfied with his performance after finishing in seventh place despite still recovering from recent shoulder surgery.

It was a slightly disappointing day for Castrol Honda’ Jonathan Rea given the fact that he’d tested at the circuit just last week, he ended the day in eighth place just ahead of Leon Haslam and Eugene Laverty.

Combined lap times from Day One

CHECA Ducati 1098R Althea Racing ESP 1 7 C. 1’31.383 69
GUINTOLI Ducati 1098R Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing FRA 2 50 S. 1’32.303
SMRZ Ducati 1098R Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing CZE 3 96 J. 1’32.316
BIAGGI Aprilia RSV4 Factory Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team ITA 4 3 M. 1’32.383 38
FABRIZIO Suzuki GSX-R1000 Team Suzuki Alstare ITA 5 84 M. 1’32.453
SYKES Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike GBR 6 66 T. 1’32.466
MELANDRI Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha World Superbike Team ITA 7 33 M. 1’32.474
REA Honda CBR1000RR Castrol Honda GBR 8 4 J. 1’32.532
HASLAM BMW S1000 RR BMW Motorrad Motorsport GBR 9 91 L. 1’32.578
LAVERTY  Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha World Superbike Team IRL 10 58 E. 1’32.600
LASCORZ Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki Racing Team ESP 11 17 J. 1’32.940
WATERS Suzuki GSX-R1000 Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team AUS 12 12 J. 1’33.140
XAUS Honda CBR1000RR Castrol Honda ESP 13 111 R. 1’33.165
CORSER BMW S1000 RR BMW Motorrad Motorsport AUS 14 11 T. 1’33.255 56
CAMIER Aprilia RSV4 Factory Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team GBR 15 2 L. 1’33.560
HAGA Aprilia RSV4 Factory PATA Racing Team Aprilia JPN 16 41 N. 1’33.786
TOSELAND BMW S1000 RR BMW Motorrad Italia SBK GBR 17 52 J. 1’33.829
BERGER Ducati 1098R Supersonic Racing Team FRA 18 121 M. 1’33.909
STARING Kawasaki ZX-10R Team Pedercini AUS 19 67 B. 1’34.047
BADOVINI BMW S1000 RR BMW Motorrad Italia SBK ITA 20 86 A. 1’34.686
ROLFO Kawasaki ZX-10R Team Pedercini ITA 21 44 R. 1’34.821
AITCHISON Kawasaki ZX-10R Team Pedercini AUS 22 8 M. 1’35.306 45
YANAGAWA Kawasaki ZX-10R Kawasaki Racing Team JPN 23 6 A. 1’35.470