Laverty stuns WSB paddock at Magny Cours test

Eugene Laverty has admitted he is as surprised as anybody after topping the time sheets at the end of his first ever WSB test at Magny Cours. Riding the Sterilgarda Yamaha R1, Laverty posted an impressive 1.38.8s best using a qualifying tyre but was also one of the pace setters on race rubber.

Speaking to MCN from Magny Cours, he said: “It’s a bit of a surprise! I put a qualifier in at the end just to see what it was like and I did a pretty good time. I was one of the quickest on a race tyre too with a lap that came at the end of a nine lap run”

“We’re still working on a few things to help the bike finish the corner. At the start of the day it was spinning a lot, but we’ve definitely made progress.” 

It was also a good day for Leon Haslam who continued to work through an array of set-up options to try a piece together a base setting for the factory BMW Motorrad S1000RR. Onboard Ruben Xaus’ 2010 spec bikes he lapped in wet, damp and dry conditions and was fastest in the morning of the second day and was able to match the times in the afternoon despite increasing track temperatures.

Tom Sykes showed that Kawasaki and the all new zX-10R will be a team to watch next year by setting lap times significantly faster than he managed at the circuit during last weekends race.

The 25 year old got to use an all new WSB spec engine in the bike for the first time, but his improvement in lap time came from an greatly improved chassis and improved bike balance which means he can run higher corner speeds.

Troy Corser spent the two days onboard the awesome sounding 2011 BMW, which features a higher revving engine and new stubby exhaust which exits underneath the bike. He was a match for his rivals in the morning but was unable to better his lap time this afternoon.

Unofficial lap times (no transponders)

Eugene Laverty Sterilgarda Yamaha 1m38.8s (qualifier)
Leon Haslam BMW Motorrad 1m39.2s
Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team 1m39.3s;
Troy Corser BMW Motorrad 1m39.9s
Noriyuki Haga DFX Aprilia 1m 39.9s
Michel Fabrizio Alstare Suzuki 1m 40.0s

For full insight to how Laverty topped the time sheets and a technical insight into the 2011 BMW S1000RR see MCN out Wednesday 13th October.