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WorldSBK Portimao test comes to an end with Rea on top once more
Riders took to the European track for the last time before heading to Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in February, for the second and final day of testing action around Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Aware of the importance of the time they have out on track, as they continue to work on the new regulations for 2018 and the timing screens were lit up all day. But it was Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) who took the honours in Europe, with a time of 1.41.485.
WorldSSP riders Andrew Irwin (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Mike Di Meglio (GMT94 Yamaha) were the first to take to the tarmac today, shortly followed by 2017 STK1000 Champion Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing- Junior Team), Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) and Loris Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team). American Gagne suffered his first crash in 2018, as he crashed his Honda at midday but was able to walk away from the scrape.
Stronger winds did not scare off the riders, and Rea finished 0.138 ahead of his rivals, as the Northern Irish rider put in his longest stint at the start of the day. On the other side of the garage, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) finished in fifth overall, taking a similar outlook to Rea as he spent more time out on track in the morning. The British rider was able to set a time of 1.42.312.
In the Aruba.it Racing- Ducati garage, Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri have continued to work on the setting of their Panigale R’s, as they work with the 2018 regulations, following on from the work in Jerez. Spending time focusing on their set-up, they prioritised this ahead of testing the Pirelli’s or the lap times.