Ducati Panigale V4 R makes strong debut
WorldSBK 2019 Phillip Island Test
Day 1 – AM Report
Alvaro Bautista and Jonathan Rea traded places at the top of the timesheets many times during this morning’s two-hour practice session at Phillip Island but Alex Lowes eventually split the pair late in the session.
When the session wound up shortly after 1300 this afternoon, it was the Ducati man topping the charts ahead of Lowes while Rea made it three different manufacturers occupying those top three spots on the timesheets.
![WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Alvaro Bautista TBG WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Alvaro Bautista TBG](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/alvaro-bautista-tops-opening-session-at-phillip-island.jpg)
Tom Sykes was the leading BMW rider in seventh place just ahead of the man that replaced him at Kawasaki, Leon Haslam.
Overnight Dorna released updated RPM limits for the 2019 WorldSBK season that will be in place for the start of the season. If a single type of machine looks to have much of an advantage these limits will be reduced further during the season. The new BMW will start season 2019 with a 14,900 rpm limit while the Kawasaki will be pegged to 14,600 rpm.
The new Ducati Panigale V4 R will start with a 16,350 rpm limit, but with both Bautista and Davies clocking by far the fastest speeds in today’s morning session, one would expect that the Ducati rev limit to be reduced in due course…
Leon Camier was 11th quickest on the Moriwaki Althea Honda.
Chaz Davies suffered some mechanical gremlins this morning with the Panigale V4 R rolling to a stop at Siberia. Limiting the number of laps the Welshman could do at pace this morning.
![WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Chaz Davies TBG WSBK TBG WSBKPI PI Chaz Davies TBG](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/alvaro-bautista-tops-opening-session-at-phillip-island-1.jpg)
Wildcard entrant Troy Herfoss spent the majority of the session in the pits and will be looking to move forward in this afternoon’s second two-hour bout which finishes shortly before 6pm AEDT.
Earlier in the morning World Supersport riders had also hit the track and it was a Yamaha 1-2 for the 600cc machines headed by Caricasulo. Wildcard entrant Tom Toparis was a highly creditable ninth in that opening session.
![WSBK Phillip Island Official Test Mon FP WSSP Toparis GB F WSBK Phillip Island Official Test Mon FP WSSP Toparis GB F](https://www.motorcyclenews.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/alvaro-bautista-tops-opening-session-at-phillip-island-2.jpg)
WorldSBK – Free Practice 1 Times
- Alvaro Bautista – Ducati 1m30.743 – 314.9 km/h
- Alex Lowes – Yamaha 1m31.146 – 308.6 km/h
- Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki 1m31.189 – 308.6 km/h
- Marco Melandri – Yamaha 1m31.445 – 314 km/h
- Michael Van der Mark – Yamaha 1m31.458 – 304.2 km/h
- Sandro Cortese – Yamaha 1m31.639 – 304.2 km/h
- Tom Sykes – BMW 1m31.740 – 303.4 km/h
- Leon Haslam – Kawasaki 1m31.886 – 308.6 km/h
- Markus Reiterberger – BMW 1m31.992 – 300.0 km/h
- Toprak Razgatlioglu – Kawasaki 1m32.425 – 302.5 km/h
- Leon Camier – Honda 1m32.459 – 307.7 km/h
- Jordi Torres – Kawasaki 1m32.679 – 300.0 km/h
- Leandro Mercado – Kawasaki 1m32.789 – 300.8 km/h
- Ryuichi Kiyonari – Honda 1m33.171 – 306.8 km/h
- Chaz Davies – Ducati 1m33.204 – 313 km/h
- Eugene Laverty – Ducati 1m33.353 – 305.1 km/h
- Michael Rinaldi – Ducati 1m33.843 – 307.7 km/h
- Alessandrio Delbianco – Honda 1m33.965 – 292.7 km/h
- Troy Herfoss – Penrite Honda 1m34.961 – 295.1 km/h
WorldSSP – Free Practice 1 Times
- F Caricasulo (ITA) Yamaha 1’33.882
- R Krummenacher (SUI) Yamaha 1’34.226 +0.346
- R De Rosa (ITA) MV Agusta 1’34.293 +0.411
- J Cluzel (FRA) Yamaha 1’34.539 +0.657
- H Okubo (JPN) Kawasaki 1’34.584 +0.702
- L Mahias (FRA) Kawasaki 1’34.807 +0.925
- L Vinales (ESP) Yamaha 1’35.369 +1.457
- C Perolari (FRA) Yamaha 1’35.695 +1.814
- T Toparis (AUS) Yamaha 1’35.725 +1.843
- A Badovini (ITA) Kawasaki 1’35.974 +2.002
- H Soomer (EST) Honda 1’36.305 +2.423
- F Fuligni (ITA) MV Agusta 1’36.313 +2.431
- L Cresson (BEL) Yamaha 1’36.313 +2.431
- P Sebestyen (HUN) Honda 1’36.331 +2.449
- H Barbera (ESP) Yamaha 1’36.636 +2.754
WorldSBK Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Event Schedule, 22 – 24 February 2019
Thursday 21 February 2019 | ||||||
Time | Duration | Category | Schedule | |||
9:00 | 10:00 | 1:00 | World SSP | Riders Briefing | ||
10:00 | FIM Track Safety Inspection | |||||
10:00 | 11:30 | 1:30 | All Riders | Riders Track Familiarization | ||
12:00 | 13:00 | 1:00 | Safety Car Test | Track closed | ||
13:50 | 14:20 | 0:30 | Aus SS 300 | Free Practice 1 | ||
14:25 | 14:55 | 0:30 | Aus SS | Free Practice 1 | ||
15:00 | 15:30 | 0:30 | Australian Sup | Free Practice 1 | ||
15:40 | 15:50 | 0:10 | Parade Laps | Black Dog Ride | ||
14:30 | 15:30 | 1:00 | WorldSBK | Riders Briefing | ||
16:00 | 17:00 | 1:00 | WorldSBK | Official Photo | Start/Finish Straight | |
16:00 | 17:00 | 1:00 | WorldSSP | Technical/Sporting Checks | Pit Garages | |
17:00 | 18:00 | 1:00 | WorldSSP | Official Photo | Start/Finish Straight | |
17:00 | 18:00 | 1:00 | WorldSBK | Technical/Sporting Checks | Pit Garages | |
18:00 | All 1st Time Riders | Riders Briefing | ||||
TBC | All Classes | Tyre Stickers Distribution | Technical Bay | |||
Friday 22 February 2019 | ||||||
Time | Duration | Category | Schedule | |||
8:30 | 8:40 | 0:10 | Timekeeping | Racing Track System Test | ||
9:10 | 9:25 | 0:15 | Aus SS | Free Practice 2 | ||
9:30 | 9:45 | 0:15 | Aus SBK | Free Practice 2 | ||
9:50 | FIM Medical Inspection | |||||
10:00 | FIM Track Inspection | |||||
10:30 | 11:20 | 0:50 | WorldSBK | Free Practice 1 | ||
11:30 | 12:15 | 0:45 | WorldSSP | Free Practice 1 | ||
12:25 | 12:55 | 0:30 | Pit Walk 1 | |||
13:15 | 13:30 | 0:15 | Aus SS 300 | Free Practice 2 | ||
13:35 | 13:50 | 0:15 | Aus SBK | Qualifying | ||
13:55 | 14:10 | 0:15 | Aus SS | Qualifying | ||
14:15 | 14:30 | 0:15 | Aus SS300 | Qualifying | ||
15:00 | 15:50 | 0:50 | WorldSBK | Free Practice 2 | ||
16:00 | 16:45 | 0:45 | WorldSSP | Free Practice 2 | ||
Saturday 23 February 2019 | ||||||
Time | Duration | Category | Schedule | |||
8:15 | 8:25 | 0:10 | Timekeeping | Racing Track System Test | ||
8:45 | 9:15 | 0:30 | Australian SSP | Race 1 | 10 Laps | |
9:20 | FIM Medical Inspection | |||||
9:30 | FIM Track Inspection | |||||
10:00 | 10:20 | 0:20 | WorldSBK | Free Practice 3 | ||
10:35 | 10:55 | 0:20 | WorldSSP | Free Practice 3 | ||
11:05 | 11:25 | 0:20 | Aus SS 300 | Race 1 | 8 Laps – | |
11:30 | 12:00 | 0:30 | Aus SBK | Race 1 | 12 Laps | |
12:15 | 12:40 | 0:25 | WorldSBK | Tissot Superpole | ||
12:55 | 13:20 | 0:25 | WorldSSP | Tissot Superpole | ||
13:40 | 14:10 | 0:30 | Pit Walk 2 & Safety Car Laps | |||
15:00 | WorldSBK | RACE 1 | 22 Laps | Pit Opens: 14:40 | ||
16:15 | 16:45 | 0:30 | Aus SBK | Race 2 | 12 Laps | |
16:50 | 17:10 | 0:20 | Aus SS 300 | Race 2 | 8 Laps | |
17:15 | 17:45 | 0:30 | Aus SSP | Race 2 | 10 Laps | |
Sunday 24 February 2019 | ||||||
Time | Duration | Category | Schedule | |||
7:45 | 7:55 | 0:10 | Timekeeping | Racing Track System Test | ||
8:15 | 8:45 | 0:30 | Aus SSP | Race 3 | 10 Laps | |
8:50 | FIM Medical Inspection | |||||
9:00 | FIM Track Inspection | |||||
09:30 | 09:45 | 0:15 | WorldSBK | Warm Up | ||
09:55 | 10:10 | 0:15 | WorldSSP | Warm Up | ||
10:30 | 11:00 | 0:30 | Aus SBK | Race 3 | 12 Laps | |
11:05 | 11:35 | 0:30 | Pit Walk 3 & Safety Car Laps | |||
12:00 | WorldSBK | S-pole Race | 10 Laps | Pit Opens: 11:45 | ||
13:15 | WorldSSP | Race | 18 Laps | Pit Opens: 13:00 | ||
15:00 | WorldSBK | Race 2 | 22 Laps | Pit Opens: 14:40 | ||
16:15 | 16:35 | 0:20 | Aus SS 300 | Race 3 | 8 laps |
1 Lap 4,445 km |
Source: MCNews.com.au