The first day of the first test to be attended by almost all of the top teams competing in 2017 was headed up by the 2015 and 2016 champion Jonathan Rea (KRT) on his new Ninja ZX-10RR. His 1’40.162 best lap was set in ideal weather conditions, after a sunny first day or riding during which he set 60 laps.

Tom Sykes, Rea’s KRT team-mate scored second spot with a 1’40.422 lap. Unsurprisingly, the top 2016 trio was the top trio on day one of the latest WorldSBK era, with Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing Ducati WorldSBK) third.

Proof that Marco Melandri was already back up to speed of his official Ducati Panigale came from his placement of fourth. He set 71 laps, the most of any of the top riders. He was only 0.027 seconds from Davies.

Davies, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017
Davies, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017

Fifth fastest rider was Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) and sixth Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati). Second year Aprilia rider, and fastest rider in the newly unveiled Milwaukee Aprilia team today, was Lorenzo Savadori.

Jordi Torres (Althea Racing BMW) placed eighth, Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike team) ninth on the partially completed new Fireblade, and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha) was the last rider in the top ten. Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) went 11th fastest, and Stefan Bradl (Honda World Superbike) secured 12th spot on his partially new Fireblade.

Aussie rider Mike Jones (Aruba.it Ducati Junior Team) was third best Superstock 1000 rider, 19th overall and just over four seconds from Rea out front on a Superbike. Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) proved to the fastest Supersport runner, with Jules Cluzel (CIA Insurance Honda) just behind on his first ride on the 2017 Honda CBR600RR.

One more day of testing at Jerez remains on Wednesday 25th, before some of the teams head off to Portimao for a two day session at the returning WorldSBK venue.

Rea, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017
Rea, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017
Or #   Piloto Nac. Neu. NV Tiempo GAP Intervalo VR IP1 IP2 IP3 VMax VMeta Últ. Vta  
1 1 SBK Jonatha REA 60 1:40.162 — —– 42 28.890 50.657 1:23.707 204,3 – PIT EXIT
2 66 SBK Tom SYKES 61 1:40.422 0.260 0.260 38 22.240 42.326 1:20.557 202,5 – 1:52.252
3 7 SBK Chaz DAVIES 68 1:40.784 0.623 0.363 52 26.698 1:22.221 1:53.961 94,2 – 1:41.562
4 33 SBK Marco MELANDRI 71 1:40.812 0.650 0.027 38 31.862 53.736 1:26.255 255,3 – PIT EXIT
5 22 SBK Alex LOWES 55 1:41.058 0.896 0.246 40 21.993 42.018 1:11.892 261,8 – 1:41.780
6 12 SBK Xavi FORES 50 1:41.396 1.234 0.338 40 22.667 42.373 259,4 – 1:48.287
7 32 SBK Lorenzo SAVADORI 55 1:41.416 1.254 0.020 48 21.529 40.971 1:10.633 260,7 – 1:53.826
8 81 SBK Jordi TORRES 65 1:41.619 1.457 0.203 40 26.471 47.796 1:19.550 240,5 – 1:42.324
9 69 SBK Nicky HAYDEN 36 1:41.830 1.668 0.211 34 21.865 41.605 1:12.356 255,4 – 1:57.452
10 60 SBK Michael VD MARK 67 1:41.908 1.746 0.078 55 26.043 46.766 1:18.757 240,3 – PIT EXIT
11 50 SBK Eugene LAVERTY 52 1:42.142 1.980 0.234 43 21.984 41.666 1:11.743 263,2 – 1:56.085
12 6 SBK Stefan BRADL 47 1:42.255 2.093 0.113 40 22.315 42.264 1:13.503 258,0 – 1:43.940
13 21 SBK Markus REITERBERGER 61 1:42.530 2.368 0.275 57 27.709 48.737 1:21.280 253,8 – PIT EXIT
14 88 SBK Randy KRUMMENACHER 44 1:42.747 2.585 0.217 38 24.400 44.918 1:19.859 259,7 – 1:43.135
15 91 SBK Leon HASLAM 52 1:42.774 2.612 0.027 35 23.102 44.378 1:16.263 239,1 – 1:43.348
16 212 SBK Luke MOSSEY 35 1:43.574 3.412 0.800 32 23.572 44.023 1:14.401 261,9 – 1:43.622
17 5 STK Marco FACCANI 26 1:43.769 3.607 0.195 20 22.767 45.319 1:17.459 255,3 – 1:45.075
18 112 STK Michael RINALDI 70 1:44.023 3.861 0.254 53 30.889 1:29.845 2:02.946 95,1 – 1:45.229
19 57 STK Mike JONES 53 1:44.211 4.049 0.188 51 23.170 44.786 1:17.032 193,5 – 1:44.327
20 63 SSP Zulfahmi KHAIRUDDIN 44 1:45.658 5.496 1.447 26 27.921 51.494 1:32.678 124,9 – PIT EXIT
21 16 SSP Jules CLUZEL 52 1:46.182 6.021 0.525 39 23.472 44.355 1:15.894 231,2 – 1:46.893
22 8 STK Alessandro VALIA 26 1:46.256 6.094 0.073 17 23.041 43.752 1:16.245 247,5 – 2:04.657
23 10 SSP Nacho CALERO 60 1:46.345 6.183 0.089 47 25.407 46.678 1:22.005 232,5 – 1:49.029
24 70 SSP Robin MULHAUSER 55 1:46.479 6.317 0.134 39 1:16.537 1:37.935 2:09.922 230,6 – 1:47.932
25 77 SSP Kyle RYDE 52 1:46.729 6.567 0.250 49 22.251 42.356 1:12.860 240,2 – 1:46.757
26 19 STK Julian PUFFE 53 1:46.932 6.770 0.203 49 22.229 42.108 1:20.213 261,4 – 1:53.246
27 78 SSP Hikari OKUBO 64 1:47.107 6.945 0.175 33 23.819 45.380 1:21.201 226,1 – 1:48.930
Hayden, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017
Hayden, Jerez WSBK tests, January 2017

By Gordon Ritchie