WorldSBK preview: Rd3, Aragon, Spain, April 1-3
The championship hits the Continent after Australia and Thailand hosted the opening two rounds, with Kawasaki men Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes holding the top two spotsRound three of the 2016 Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will be held at MotorLand Aragon in Spain this weekend: a modern, spectacular and technical track that is often cited by riders as a favourite.
Jonathan Rea, after doing the double at Phillip Island and splitting the spoils down the middle with his Kawasaki teammate Tom Sykes in Thailand, is in fantastic form and carries a 29pt (95 to 66) lead into round three, with Sykes in turn just 1pt ahead of Honda's Michael van der Mark. Chaz Davies (Ducati) and Sylvain Guintoli (Yamaha) are fourth and fifth.
Rea and Davies shared wins and second places at MotorLand in 2015, with Sykes and Leon Haslam — now riding in the British superbike title — taking the third places.
Davies' teammate Davide Giugliano will also be in the mix at MotorLand, as will Yamaha's second rider Alex Lowes, Nicky Hayden (Honda), Jordi Torres (BMW) and Markus Reiterberger (BMW), while Aussie Josh Brookes (BMW) has a top 10 in his sights after a disappointing non-scoring outing in Thailand. Leon Camier (MV Agusta) has also been showing a stronger pace in 2016, and Brookes' teammate Karel Abraham is also on the improve. Aprilia also has Alex de Angelis and Lorenzo Savadori getting up to speed after truncated pre-seasons.
Aragon also welcomes back Aussie Josh Hook (Kawasaki), who injured his shoulder at Phillip Island was and was forced to sit out Thailand as well.
Meanwhile, Hayden heads to MotorLand as a beginner in WorldSBK but a veteran of the circuit, having ridden there in MotoGP since 2010: the year he finished on the podium in the first GP held at the track.
In world supersport, Kawasaki teammates Randy Krummenacher and world champion Kenan Sofuoglu, MV Agusta's Jules Cluzel and Honda's PJ Jacobsen are the big four in what is shaping up as an intriguing season. Krummenacher leads the championship after 1-4 results so far, ahead of Jacobsen (5-3), Cluzel (DNF-1) and Sofuoglu (DNF-2). Sofuoglu won at Aragon in 2015.
Australia has Glenn Scott (Honda), Aiden Wagner (MV Agusta) and Lachlan Epis (Kawasaki) in action, with Anthony West (Yamaha) preparing to make another cameo in round four at Assen after his third place at Phillip Island.
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