EUGENE LAVERTY and Miguel Praia enjoyed a strong two-day official World Supersport test at Imola in Italy, finishing third and eighth overall.
Eugene was one of only three riders under the 1min 52seconds mark. Miguel competed with race winners and a World Champion in eighth place. The 10thround of the World Supersport Championship is at Brno in the Czech Republic on Sunday, July 26th.
Eugene: “This test was just what we needed. At Misano we had the choice of developing the bike in two directions and selected the wrong one. This test has allowed us to go back a few steps and find a different way that has worked. Basically I have the support from the rear that I want without sacrificing any side grip. I did more laps than anyone and we tried just about everything, we learnt a lot this test. I am really looking forward to Brno as it is a similar circuit to Imola with a lot of downhill braking, so we will be taking the bike as it sits and it should be a good setting to start with.”
Miguel: “It was a good test. I did not expect the big gap to the leaders but my ideal time put me sixth and I am riding in the company of some very good riders, including the reigning World Champion. We tried many different solutions that we normally wouldn’t get the chance to try on a race weekend. It has been very hot and tough. I am very happy and more confident in the settings on my Parkalgar Honda and can’t wait to get to the next race.”
Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “A great test and Eugene was consistently on the pace throughout. He did his fastest time at the end on a normal race tyre, not a Factory development tyre, making it all the more impressive. It was quite funny to watch Cal go through the chicane on the back wheel celebrating what he thought he had the fastest lap, not realising that Kenan had just beat him and Eugene was only a tenth of a second behind…
“A big thanks to Akrapovic for supplying a new exhaust specific to our bike for this test, it worked well and it’s that sort of support that will give us an edge. Miguel did well and was consistent with his lap times – again he has proved he can compete in the top 10. The front three are on a different level than the rest – well done to Ten Kate Honda for helping Kenan to compete with the big two, it’s nice to have someone else able to put pressure on Cal at the front.”
Test Times
1 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1′51.552
2 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1′51.705
3 Laverty E. (IRL) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′51.890
4 Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1′52.531
5 McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 1′53.152
6 Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′53.612
7 Nannelli G. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1′53.767
8 Praia M. (POR) PARKALGAR HONDA CBR600RR 1′53.803
9 West A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′53.931
10 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1′53.963
