Sykes leaves Jerez fastest on busy final day

The last day of the final 2015 season group WSBK tests at Jerez saw the top WSB riders lap as fast if not faster than the top GP riders, with Tom Sykes (KRT) posting a 1’39.316 lap that was easily the best Superbike time of the tests – and the previous records from last September’s race weekend.

Just behind of the English rider was his team-mate from Northern Ireland, Jonathan Rea (KRT), who set a 1’39.524 lap, but had to stop early when he crashed going into the last hairpin in the final afternoon and wrecked his lone 2016 bike.

Both riders had used a qualifying rear tyre to set their best laps.

Behind, Xavier Fores was quick on his Barni Racing Ducati, earning a 1’40.148 as he takes the step-up to full time WSBK racing in 2016.

American rider Nicky Hayden was next best man running a transponder on his bike, as his CBR1000RR lapped to a 1’40.193. He ran qualifiers to get to that lap time but worked through a lot of material and settings, with his team-mate Michael van der Mark still missing from the scene.

Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati WSBK was next fastest, only using race tyres as he had so many things to check and verify before the winter break. He posted a 1’44.774. Davide Giugliano, his team-mate, got to 1’41.152 on his Ducati, with the MV Agusta of Leon Camier working on to a 1’41.219, back on his machine without the modified fuel tank.

As on the previous days no times were given for the lone remaining Yamaha WSBK rider, Sylvain Guintoli, but he was credited with a 1’40.9 that was set on Thursday, as he worked on more major suspension and setting changes on the final day.

Patrick Jacobsen (Ten Kate Honda) was at lap record pace on his CBR600RR, even faster than Kenan Sofuoglu had gone on his Kawasaki earlier in the week, with his 1’42.8 from Today. Surprisingly, he was then given command of the injured Michael van der Mark’s CBR1000RRSP Superbike, to help Hayden in his work of evaluating the latest test material. He got down to a 1’42.292, but then fell as he lost feel and feed back at a slow hairpin.

Final Day Times

1. 66 Tom SYKES GBR KAWASAKI PROVEC KAWASAKI 98 23 1:39.313 274,8
2. 65 Jonathan REA GBR KAWASAKI PROVEC KAWASAKI 44 29 1:39.524 0.211 0.211 277,6
3. 12 Xavi FORES ESP BARNI RACING TEAM DUCATI 56 44 1:40.148 0.835 0.624 272,7
4. 69 Nicky HAYDEN USA TEN KATE RACING HONDA 91 54 1:40.193 0.880 0.045 270,0
5. 7 Chaz DAVIES GBR ARUBA IT. RACING-DUCATI DUCATI 52 11 1:40.774 1.461 0.581 271,4
6. 34 Davide GIUGLIANO ITA ARUBA IT. RACING-DUCATI DUCATI 60 55 1:41.152 1.839 0.378 271,4
7. 2 Leon CAMIER GBR MV AUGUSTA AUGUSTA 63 62 1:41.219 1.906 0.067 266,7
8. 99 Patrick JACOBSEN USA TEN KATE RACING HONDA 75 72 1:42.292 2.979 1.073 270,7