Laverty fastest at Phillip Island

New Suzuki signing Eugene Laverty has set the pace on day one of the two day world superbike test at Phillip Island as final preparations continue prior to the 2014 season kick off at the seaside circuit this weekend (February 21-23).

Laverty remained on top of the timesheets in this afternoon’s second two-hour session, but was unable to better his morning time of 1min30.513secs.

"Today was probably the best conditions I’ve ever encountered at Phillip Island," said Laverty.

"Usually you have a strong head wind, strong tail wind, or it's too hot and slippery. Today was optimum temperature, very little wind so that’s why the lap times were so quick today."

Ducati’s Davide Guigliano (1:30.718) made up two positions in the afternoon to slot in behind Laverty, followed by the two Kawasakis of world champion Tom Sykes (1:30.737) and Loris Baz (1:30.757).

Sykes was the biggest workaholic over the two sessions, logging a combined total of 67 laps around the 4.45km circuit.

World superbike rookie Alex Lowes (Suzuki) was superb on his first outing at Phillip Island, stopping the clock at 1:31.000, followed by Aprilia’s Marco Melandri (1:31.146), Leon Haslam (Honda, 1:31.172), Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia, 1:31.321), Jonathan Rea (Honda, 1:31.404) and Chaz Davies (Ducati, 1:31.419).

Haslam, Guintoli and lap record holder Laverty will be the only riders on this weekend’s round one grid to have won world superbike races at Phillip Island.

Meanwhile, Niccolo Canepa (Ducati, 1:31.897) maintained his position as the fastest EVO rider, and was 11th overall on day one.

Among those to crash in the afternoon session were Italian Michael Fabrizio (Kawasaki) and Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW), both transported to Melbourne for x-rays and assessment.

In world supersport, world No. 2 Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) was the standout, well ahead of Michael van der Mark (Honda) and Russian Vladamir Leonov (MV Agusta).

Australia’s Bryan Staring, in his first hitout with new team Rivamoto, was 16th overall on a Honda, with his fellow Aussies Billy McConnell (Triumph) and Ryan Taylor (Yamaha) 19th and 22nd in the 25-bike pack.

Irishman Jack Kennedy (Honda) was fourth overall, but crashed at turn two and was transported to Melbourne for scans on a suspected broken right ankle.

Both the world superbike and world supersport riders will have two further session tomorrow, with world superbike the first on track at 9am.

World Superbike Monday 1st and 2nd sessions combined

Results: 1. Laverty (Suzuki) 1'30.513 average 176.912 kph; 2. Giugliano (Ducati) 1'30.718; 3. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1'30.737; 4. Baz (Kawasaki) 1'30.757; 5. Lowes (Suzuki) 1'31.000; 6. Melandri (Aprilia) 1'31.146; 7. Haslam (Honda) 1'31.172; 8. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1'31.321; 9. Rea (Honda) 1'31.404; 10. Davies (Ducati) 1'31.419; 11. Canepa (Ducati) 1'31.897; 12. Elias (Aprilia) 1'32.301; 13. Salom (Kawasaki) 1'32.636; 14. Corti (MV Agusta) 1'32.858; 15. Barrier (BMW) 1'32.997; 16. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1'33.509; 17. Foret (Kawasaki) 1'33.676; 18. Morais (Kawasaki) 1'33.954; 19. Scassa (Kawasaki) 1'33.960; 20. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'34.140; 21. Fabrizio (Kawasaki) 1'34.314; 22. Toth (BMW) 1'36.258; NC. May (EBR) 1'38.152; NC. Yates (EBR) 1'39.656; NC. Sebestyen (BMW) 1'42.242.

World Supersport Monday 1st and 2nd sessions combined

Results: 1. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1'33.521 average 171.221 kph; 2. Vd Mark (Honda) 1'33.918; 3. Leonov (MV Agusta) 1'34.360; 4. Kennedy (Honda) 1'34.393; 5. Menghi (Yamaha) 1'34.402; 6. Russo (Honda) 1'34.550; 7. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1'34.619; 8. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1'34.723; 9. Zanetti (Honda) 1'34.860; 10. Marino (Kawasaki) 1'34.944; 11. Wilairot (Honda) 1'35.102; 12. De Rosa (Honda) 1'35.114; 13. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1'35.137; 14. Calero (Honda) 1'35.370; 15. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1'35.544; 16. Staring (Honda) 1'35.651; 17. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 1'35.750; 18. Wahr (Yamaha) 1'35.900; 19. McConnell (Triumph) 1'35.917; 20. Bussolotti (Honda) 1'36.084; 21. Coveña (Kawasaki) 1'36.896; 22. Taylor (Yamaha) 1'37.358; 23. Gowland (Triumph) 1'37.366; 24. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 1'37.870; 25. Ivanov (Yamaha) 1'38.232; 26. Rogers (Honda) 1'39.020.