A test is a test and the lap times should not be interpreted too much. Because nobody knows in which configuration and with which tire type a driver set his personal best. A full tank can cost a second, a Qualifyer tire can take up to a second.
Ducati driver Scott Redding set the test best time of 1.33.607 minutes with a qualifyer tire, just like Kawasaki star Jonathan Rea the second fastest time of 1: 33.206 minutes. As the fastest pilot with a racing tire, Michael Rinaldi, third place in the timesheet for GoEleven Ducati driver, came third in 1: 33.560 minutes.
According to Kawasaki, this is also not true. “Jonathan drove a 1: 33.4 min with racing tires – making him the fastest with racing tires,” claims Reas chief technician Pere Riba. “And with the Qualifyer, he made a mistake on the first lap, on the second lap he still drove a 1: 33.2 min – without a mistake he could have driven a 1: 32.9 min.”
And therefore faster than Redding!
The other participants can be assumed that they only used racing tires. And Ducati factory driver Chaz Davies (5th) has traditionally not looked at the cards in tests.
The biggest change compared to the track records is the new asphalt. “With the Qualifyer, Rea was 1.5 seconds faster than a year ago,” said Riba surprisingly. «The grip is impressive – almost crazy!»
Times Superbike World Championship test Misano
1. Scott Redding (GB), Aruba.it Ducati, 1:33,067 min
2. Jonathan Rea (GB), Kawasaki, 1:33,206
3. Michael Rinaldi (I), Go Eleven Ducati, 1:33,560
4. Alex Lowes (GB), Kawasaki, 1:33,694
5. Chaz Davies (GB), Aruba.it Ducati, 1:34,053
6. Leandro Mercado (RA), Motocorsa Ducati, 1: 34.859
7. Sylvain Barrier (F), Brixx Ducati, 1:36,752
8. Leon Camier (GB), Barni Ducati, 1: 36.759
–
