Bautista edges out Rea by only 0.009s, while Rinaldi and Razgatlioglu also had a strong showing to conclude testing on the Portuguese rollercoaster
There was plenty of lap record pace on display in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on Day 2 of the two-day test in Portugal, with riders on the verge of breaking into the 1’38s for the first time in WorldSBK.
Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) topped the times on day two by just 0.009s ahead of six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).
Bautista posted a 1’39.035s to obliterate Rea’s Superpole lap record from last year’s Portuguese Round. Bautista’s day, with the Spanish rider looking at bike stability, was disrupted by a crash at Turn 7 which brought out the red flag.
His teammate was one of the four riders to go below the lap record with a 1’39.144s to take third place; backing up his top spot from Day 1. Rea, the lap record holder with a 1’39.610s from last year’s Tissot Superpole, took the second spot and was only 0.009s slower than Bautista at the end of the day’s running with the six-time Champion testing some new items from Showa and looking at chassis balance.
2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was fourth fastest as he also went under Rea’s existing lap record, posting a 1’39.441s on his way to the fourth spot. As at Jerez, there was a lot of focus on the rear of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine in order to improve grip exiting corners.
All riders and teams are now focused on the Official Test taking place ahead of the season-opening round on Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st February at Phillip Island.
