HM Plant Honda complete day one of Parkalgar test

HM Plant Honda are just coming to an end of their first day of testing at the new Parkalgar circuit in Portugal.

The BSB team has headed out for a two-day test ahead of their World Superbike wildcard appearance on November 2.

MCN spoke to Honda Racing UK Manager Neil Tuxworth as Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow circulated on their closing laps for the day.

He said: “The track itself is very slippery.

“There is just us, the Parkalgar team and Xerox Ducati out here testing today.

“Because nobody has really been round here there is just a foot-wide line to ride on and the surface is very abrasive and is tearing up tyres today. The weather today has been more than accommodating however, with 27 degree air temperatures and sunshine after rain fell all day yesterday.

 Tuxworth himself has lapped the circuit in a car and told MCN he was impressed with the circuit and the whole facility.

 “It’s a really exciting circuit full of ups and downs.

“It’s a wide circuit too so it should be exciting for spectators with the undulations and lots of overtaking.

“And the facility itself is fantastic, but there is still a lot of work to do

“There is no water, no electrics and no telephone lines yet.

“But once it’s all sorted I think this will be the best race circuit in Western Europe.”

Tuxworth said the team hasn’t been looking for overall times today, just getting the riders to familiarise themselves with the new track ahead of tomorrow’s second day of riding.

“There are no times to compare to anyway, so the boys are just out there learning the track,” added Tuxworth.

“This morning we were doing 2.18’s and now we’re running 1.50’s.”

And it’s not just Haslam and Crutchlow out there with the HM Plant squad.

“Glen [Richards] has come out here for a couple of days to spend some time with the team and get to know the guys,” Tuxworth told MCN.

“That shows his commitment that he’s paid off his own back to come out here as preparation for next season.”