WSB: Rea quickest as pre-season testing draws to a close

Jonathan Rea led the field home on the final day of pre-season testing, posting a 1’30.545 that was well under the race lap record and closing in towards the Superpole best from 2016.

Marco Melandri pulled himself up to second place overall, some 0.258 seconds behind Rea while Chaz Davies was finally third, after a late fast lap attack.

Tom Sykes (KRT) who crashed earlier today without injury, placed fourth in the rankings on the final afternoon.

Xavi Fores, who was fastest on day one, placed fifth on day two; a day that was much warmer and more settled than the first.

Leon Camier placed himself sixth overall on his four-cylinder MV, ahead of the leading vee four of Lorenzo Savadori in seventh place.

Alex Lowes was best Yamaha rider on show, in eighth place, as he worked on electronics and general set-up parameters. One established and one new WorldSBK rider completed the top ten, with Jordi Torres (Althea Racing BMW) and Randy Krummenacher ninth and tenth respectively.

Alex De Angelis rode to 11^th place, but a still troubled Eugene Laverty was a relatively lowly 12^th – 1.336 seconds from the fastest rider Rea.

Michael van der Mark was 13^th but it was yet another tough day for Nicky Hayden down in 14^th. Markus Reiterberger lost track time late in the day but finished 15^th, privateer Roman Ramos was 16^th.

Josh Brookes slotted in 17^th in his wildcard home weekend. Riccardo Russo was 18^th and Stefan Bradl a lowly 19^th.

Now the teams and riders have a day or two off to regroup in the hunt for the first points of the year, with race days on Saturday 25^th and Sunday 26^th February.