250cc – Test Jerez Day 1 – Alex Debon is the… Lorenzo of the situation

A performance that should come as no surprise. Alex Debon set the best time on the inaugural day of testing for the 250cc in Jerez, preceding announced protagonists such as Luthi, Kallio and Bautista on his Aprilia RSA. At the first official outing of 2008, Jorge Lorenzo's replacement at Daniel Amatriain's Lotus Aprilia team proves that he is not only a valid tester (he weaned the new RSA), but that he is able to fight with the principles of the category, such as confirmed the excellent podium last year in Valencia. Debon (in the photo alongside) found himself in the lead with the reference of 1'44"069, preceding the former 125 world champion Thomas Luthi, expected to make the leap in quality after a more than positive debut season in the quarter-litre. Also riding an Aprilia RSA, he preceded the two KTMs of Mika Kallio and Hiroshi Aoyama, unbeatable in Andalusia in the tests last November, today more dedicated to constant performance than the single lap.

Next on the time monitor are Marco Simoncelli, positive fifth with the RSW dressed in Gilera, and Alvaro Bautista, riding, as well as his team-mate Hector Faubel, an Aprilia from the Aspar team with a new red livery, at the behest of the main sponsor Mapfre. Speaking of the other expected protagonists, Manuel Poggiali with the RSW LE of Campetella set the 10th fastest time, second among the privateers behind the surprising Karel Abraham, eighth. Alex Baldolini, Roberto Locatelli and Fabrizio Lai are further behind. Eighteenth time for the Indonesian Doni Tata Pradita, the only Yamaha rider in the category.

For the 250cc, two more days of testing alongside the 125, then from Monday Jerez will host the world presentation of the Ducati 1098R with tests by the official Superbike team from Borgo Panigale.

250cc Test Jerez – Thursday 24 January – The times

01- Alex Debon – Aprilia – 1'44.069
02- Thomas Luthi – Aprilia – 1'44.193
03- Mika Kallio – KTM – 1'44.210
04- Hiroshi Aoyama – KTM – 1'44.294
05- Marco Simoncelli – Gilera – 1'44.453
06- Alvaro Bautista – Aprilia – 1'44.530
07- Hector Barbera – Aprilia – 1'44.710
08- Karel Abraham – Aprilia – 1'44.822
09- Julian Simon – KTM – 1'44.964
10- Manuel Poggiali – Aprilia – 1'45.438
11- Hector Faubel – Aprilia – 1'45.533
12- Imre Toth – Aprilia – 1'45.790
13- Lukas Pesek – Aprilia – 1'45.864
14- Alex Baldolini – Aprilia – 1'45.944
15- Aleix Espargaro – Aprilia – 1'45.951
16- Roberto Locatelli – Gilera – 1'45.967
17- Fabrizio Lai – Aprilia – 1'46.536
18- Doni Tata Pradita – Yamaha – 1'51.068
19- Eugene Laverty – Aprilia – 1'51.376
20- Russel Gómez – Aprilia – 1'56.747

Alessio Piana