Tommy Hill and the Cartagena test

Tommy Hill was satisfied with his and the Worx Suzuki team’s progress at Cartagena, the first time they’ve been up against BSB rivals in pre-season testing.

He finished the test with the same 1:33.5 time as his team-mate Yukio Kagayama, though the team’s PR gave the fastest time to Yukio by a couple of hundredths.

Hill told MCN: “I’m well pleased with my times. It wasn’t just a one-off quick lap but a run of good laps.

“I’m peaking. I would have been happy to do mid-34s but to get well inside the lap record (Chris Vermeulen 1:34.4, December 2009 on the PBM Kawasaki) is great.

“Yukio got into the 1:33s too so that’s good we’re both up there. We’re pushing each other and that’s what the team want.

“We aimed to try some 2009 settings back to back against what we’ve been working on but we’re on Ohlins now so why chase it when the bike is already working so well? I’m happy with the direction we’re going.”

“Guadix is next. I’ve never been there, though the team has but I’m looking forward to it.”