2022 Portimao WorldSBK Test Day Two

The final day of testing for Motul FIM Superbike World Championship teams and riders at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve came to a close on Wednesday with lap record pace on display from both Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the pair lapping the 4.592km circuit in the 1m39s using Pirelli’s new SCQ tyre.

Rea was the first rider to dip below the 1m39s bracket just before the midway point of the session with a 1m39.851s but reigning World Champion Razgatlioglu was able to better more than two-tenths with just over an hour of testing remaining; the pair split by just 0.235s. Razgatlioglu’s time of 1m39.616ss beat his own pole time from 2021 by almost 0.5s. Razgatlioglu set six lap times in the 1m39s bracket, using the A557 tyre used throughout 2021, across five different runs, on laps 28, 45, 48, 49, 53 and 61, while Rea only set one lap time in the 1m39s.

For comparative purposes, the MotoGP qualiying lap record is 1m38.862 (Quartararo 2021) and the race lap record 1m39.450 (Rins 2021).

Razgatlıoğlu and his Pata Yamaha team-mate Andrea Locatelli will next be in action at a private MotorLand Aragon test on 3-4 March, alongside the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team who will complete their first outing of 2022 with riders Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane. The target at Aragon for Yamaha will be to re-confirm the development plan completed over the winter and find a strong base set-up at a track that hasn’t often played to the Yamaha R1 WorldSBK’s strengths.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu

“After a long time, we ride for first time yesterday and I am very happy to be back with the team and on my bike. On the first day, we try the electronic updates and we work through every session to try to find the best set-up. Also, today we were working a lot to find a good set-up but it is not 100 per cent yet because this is all still very new. This is step-by-step and now Yamaha will look at the data and we try again at the next test. I’m very happy with these two days, we set some very good lap times with the race tyre also. Thank you to my team, they do an incredible job like always.”

Paul Denning – Team Principal – Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK

“It’s great to be back at work, especially in beautiful weather in early February at the Algarve International Circuit. It’s been a long time off the bikes for Toprak and Loka, neither have turned a wheel since our fantastic last day of the 2021 season. Yesterday was a case of getting them up to speed as much as it was about the technical details. We didn’t have a big test program here, but the modified riding position parts that Yamaha brought were immediately very positive for both riders, improving the feeling on corner entry and their general feeling to control the bike. We’ve also worked on some electronic updates, which required patience for both riders, but in the end we were able to get through that full program as well with competitive lap times. To end the test quickest was great, particularly considering this is our first running of the year. We’ll just keep working away and we look forward to the next stages of development in Aragón in a few weeks’ time.”

This week Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea and his crew worked had been working on chassis and electronic set-ups, with the results of a long run in the afternoon session being particularly positive, especially in terms of tyre usage over full race distance. Jonathan also set his best lap time on one of the new SCQ development tyres that single make supplier Pirelli brought to his test.

Jonathan Rea

“We got a lot of laps in at this test. We have been going back and forward because we had a couple of chassis items we were not sure about. Finally I think we can be pretty confident that we have confirmed a couple of items we found in Jerez at the previous tests. We finally put the package together. In the middle of the day Pirelli brought some tyres that we had to try and then we worked on our plan in the afternoon. We did a long race simulation at the end – and some practice starts that were much better than the ones on the first day. During the long run the feeling was that the set-up was taking some feeling away ‘from my hand’ but it is actually better. Normally in Portimao there is a big tyre drop after ten or 15 laps, but today I did not experience any drop in the long run. I’m pretty happy with that and we will keep working on that side of things. It is important to be fast but it is important to be fast at the end of races. I think we can safely say we managed that today. So, all-in-all, it was a pretty solid day. I think we have a pretty good handle on what our base set-up is going to be to start the year.”

Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea

“Over the two days Johnny set a lot of laps. Today, at the end, he was tired because we made so many laps and even in the afternoon we made a real long run, 19-20 laps. We made a good test. We have been focusing during the tests in Jerez and Portimao to understand some items to build the base to start the season in Motorland Aragon. Here, we had a chance to compare things again in these two days and the weather was very good. We collected very helpful information to understand the next step to build the package. We also focused with the electronics to give a little bit to Johnny in some areas. We are all happy and now we have time to analyse some things and prepare for the next test. We have had the first impressions of our competitors at this test and I think everybody knows who will be fighting for the championship. It is a little bit more clear. Now, we will try to prepare everything for the next test.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completed the top three as he continued to adjust to life back at Ducati. Despite a Turn 8 crash that brought out the Red Flags, the Spanish rider was able to add 68 laps to his tally for the test with a best time of 1m40.055s, set on Pirelli’s SCX tyre. Bautista has been able to try a new swingarm on his Ducati Panigale V4 R and a smaller fuel tank to suit his stature throughout the test as well as trying Pirelli’s SCQ tyre to be used throughout the 2022 campaign.

Alvaro Bautista

“I am very satisfied with these two days of testing. The feeling is already good and I am having a lot of fun. I feel that the experience I have gained over the last few years is helping me. If I have to be honest, I have found myself on the bike better than I expected. We worked a lot on the tyres today, trying out the new solution brought in by Pirelli. I am only sorry for the crash this morning: I made a mistake, luckily without consequences. I can’t wait to be at Misano“.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) came home in fourth place as he looked at his outright performance on the ZX-10RR after hailing Tuesday’s running as one of his best days in Kawasaki colours. Lowes added 83 laps to his tally for the two-day test with a best time of 1m40.335s. The British rider also wanted to try the SCQ tyre throughout the test with the tyre supplier bringing new solutions of the tyre compared to what was available at the Jerez test.

Alex Lowes

“We have had a really good test here and I think I did 162 laps over the two days. That is the best thing for me because I have not done a full day’s testing for over a year because of the all the injuries I have had. So to do 160-odd laps at a good pace, no mistakes, and while working hard on the bike; I am really happy. That is one box ticked off. In terms of settings on the bike we made some improvements but it looks like the other guys have also made some. I am really happy with the work we have done but we still need to find a couple of tenths or so before the start of the season. This is the best I have felt on the bike in a long, long time. I am really happy and we are going to work hard with my crew chief Marcel during this little break before we have our Montmelo test at the end of March.”

Marcel Duinker – Crew Chief for Alex Lowes

“We had a very good test and clearly Alex made an impressive recovery from his 2021 injuries over the winter. He did not feel any type of fatigue. He is at full strength, so it is impressive how well he recovered in the last two-and-a-half months. A lot of respect for that. Alex was able to increase his speed lap-by-lap over these two days. We did not make any change to the bike set-up we just tested our updated material. This Portimao test was the point for us to have a clear idea about our bike specification for the coming season. From today we can say that we know what we will race for about 99% of the bike. This was our target and we reached our target. Alex was fast, ridiculously consistent when he did his long runs, and I am happy he could match his race speed to the competition. On race tyres and over distance he can match their speed. We are very confident and we have two more tests in front of us before the start of the season. Now, we can start to look at the smaller details because all the big items are done.”

Around three-tenths off. Lowes was Italian rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) who completed 77 laps as he and his team worked on some new parts as well as the setup of electronics on his YZF-R1.

Andrea Locatelli – P5

“It was our first days of testing for this year and the feeling with the bike came immediately good for me. We worked a lot with the race tyre, so we didn’t focus on one fast lap, but to work around the bike. We understand a lot more now, and we can for sure arrive in Aragón more ready. Now, we will see what we can do together for the new season. We improved a lot on the rider position as well, which is important for my feeling on the bike. We need to find more on the set-up, but we will also have new parts to try at the coming tests. My team has worked hard and I’m very happy for what they have achieved over the winter, I am sure we will be ready for the first race.”

Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) headed up the Independent riders on day two of the test despite an afternoon crash at the high speed right-hand Turn One. The German rider was okay following the crash that brought out the Red Flag although cost him some valuable track time ahead of his rookie season. Oettl, who had been looking to improve his Ducati’s set up for him, completed 63 laps on Wednesday with a best time of 1m41.061s, putting in a late lap to jump up to sixth in the standings.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was able to try a new swing-arm on his Ducati Panigale V4 as well as the new SCQ tyre from Pirelli, with the Italian completing 52 laps for a best time of 1m41.143s.

Michael Rinaldi

“It has been a tough two days of testing. On the first day, we lapped without working on the set-up in particular: the feeling was positive, and – with the race tire – we had better results than last year’s race. Today we concentrated on some new solutions without trying to set the lap-time. Unfortunately, because of the pain in my back, I wasn’t able to try the new SCQ brought by Pirelli“.

French rider Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was able to get his hands on some new parts for his Yamaha YZF-R1, components that had been used in 2021 by the factory squad, including a new fairing and screen. While testing these items, Ponsson racked up 51 laps with a best time of 1m42.374s.

Rookie Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) rounded out the WorldSBK field on his second day of action on his Ducati bike, with the Sammarinese rider adding 54 laps to his tally. On his first time with a WorldSBK machine, and his first time on track since an injury sustained at Magny-Cours, Bernardi posted a best lap time of 1m42.961s.

WorldSSP rookie Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) topped the timesheets for the second day running on his Ducati Panigale V2 machine with the Italian manufacturer returning to WorldSSP for 2022. Bulega first tested the bike in November at Jerez and added another 48 laps of experience to the bike in Portugal, with a best time of 1’43.876s.

Another rookie, Maximilian Kofler (CM Racing), was second in the standings on day two of testing with the Austrian racking up 58 laps with a best time of 1’45.511s. Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team), testing in place of Oli Bayliss who fractured his ankle in a crash on day one, added 46 laps to the team’s tally over the course of the Portimao test with a best time of 1’46.946s.

2022 Portimao WorldSBK Test Times Day Two

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’39.616, 66 laps
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.851s, 87 laps
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’40.055, 68 laps
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’40.335s, 83 laps
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’40.674s, 79 laps
6.  Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) 1’41.061s, 63 laps
7. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.143s, 52 laps
8. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) 1’42.374s, 51 laps
9. Luca Bernardi (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’42.961s, 54 laps

Images by 2snap

Source: MCNews.com.au