Times tumble at Valencia test

Regis Laconi took the top spot at the World Superbike test session in Valencia for the second day in a row.

The Frenchman knocked over half a second off his time from the first day to finish with a best lap of 1:36.016, beating Australian Steve Martin in to second place.

Martin was the most improved rider of the day. He finished the first day’s session seventh fastest but managed to knock a massive 1.4 seconds off his time to end the second day with a 1:36.280 lap.

Laconi’s Fila Ducati teammate James Toseland was the fourth fastest rider followed by Renegade Ducati rider Noriyuki Haga.

Haga seems to be getting to grips with the 999RS and looked today as though he was enjoying the ride for the first time.

Haga’s teammate Leon Haslam gets the award for the rider with the most determination. The Brit crashed at the end of the first day, breaking his index finger and badly grazing and bruising his leg.

Despite hardly being able to walk Haslam went out on track to set the sixth fastest lap, just 0.135 seconds slower than the time that made him the second fastest rider on the first day and 0.122 seconds off fifth placed rider Troy Corser on the Foggy Petronas FP1.

Times: Regis Laconi 1:36.016; Steve Martin 1:36.280; James Toseland 1:36.636; Noriyuki Haga 1:36.676; Troy Corser 1:36.761; Leon Haslam 1:36.883; Chris Vermeulen 1:37.200; Mauro Sanchini 1:37.281; Peir Francesco Chili 1:37.363; Chris Walker 1:37.371; Gary McCoy 1:37.641.