Despite a dismal weekend at Monza, Carlos Checa is again the fastest man on a World Superbike machine. The Spaniard posted the unofficial fastest lap of a two day test this week at Misano, beating all three Aprilia riders as well as the factory BMW team. Checa set the unofficial quickest time of the test (1:34.8) Wednesday morning, on his way to completing 140 laps of the Italian circuit. The participants were preparing for the next round at Miller Motorsports Park in almost three weeks’ time as well as the WSBK round held at Misano in mid-June.
Reigning Champion and current WSBK record speed holder Max Biaggi also tested at Misano, with teammate Leon Camier and privateer Aprilia rider Noriyuki Haga, as well as BMW Motorrad riders Troy Corser and Leon Haslam. It was Biaggi with the fastest unofficial time at the end of Tuesday, breaking the previous lap record with his time of 1:35.6. His progress seemed to go backwards on the second day, with neither the rider nor team happy with settings used Wednesday.
However, Checa’s fast time was not the only good news for the points leader after barely finishing in the Top 10 in both Race 1 and Race 2 at Monza. “This afternoon, although the track was slower, I found good rhythm with the race tyre. Let’s say I’m satisfied,” said Checa. He continued, “I’ve got good sensation back again; after Monza, a really difficult round for me, I’m happy to have been able to come here and be competitive once again.”
It also appeared as though the improved running for BMW at Monza had continued. Corser was unofficially the second fastest rider at the test, setting quick laps over longer runs. Meanwhile, the Yamaha and Kawasaki teams prepare to test for two days at Motorland Aragon beginning tomorrow. Chris Vermeulen will not be testing with his team, tweeting Tuesday, “back in Andorra after seeing the doc with my elbow, apart from the hole no major damage and should be ok to start training again in week.”
World Superbike Unofficial Results from Misano Test:
| Pos. | No. | Rider | Team | Time | Diff. |
| 1. | 7 | Carlos Checa | Althea Racing Ducati | 1:34.8 | – |
| 2. | 11 | Troy Corser | BMW Motorrad | 1:35.8 | 1.0 |
| 3. | 1 | Max Biaggi | Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team | 1:36.0 | 1.2 |
| 4. | 91 | Leon Haslam | BMW Motorrad | 1:36.1 | 1.3 |
| 5. | 2 | Leon Camier | Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team | 1:36.4 | 1.6 |
| 6. | 41 | Noriyuki Haga | PATA Racing Team Aprilia | 1:37.0 | 2.2 |
Source: GPOne & Althea Ducati; Photo: Althea Ducati
Comments