Superbike: Lowes confirms himself as the fastest at the end of the two free practice sessions

Greeted by an unexpected gray sky, which improved throughout the day, the first two free practice sessions of the 2015 World Superbike season took place at Phillip Island this morning after setting the best time in the two days of official testing, Alex Lowes confirmed his lead again in the first session with a time of 1'30.855, the only driver to go below the one minute and thirty-one second mark.

In second place was the rookie Jordi Torres who preceded Tom Sykes, teammate Leon Haslam and the second KRT driver Jonathan Rea, who remained in the pits for a long time but did not take much time to find the rhythm, closing ahead of Nico Terol, Chaz Davies, David Salom and Randy de Puniet, still limited by the sacrum injury suffered in the tests.

As per the predictions after the tests, we find the two Pata Honda riders in a further behind position: with Michael van der Mark twelfth ahead of the reigning World Champion Sylvain Guintoli.
Little time on track for Troy Bayliss, eighteenth, author of just two fast laps.

Technical problems instead for Niccolò Canepa, who was unable to set any valid times.

In the second session, lap times did not improve and none of the drivers on track were able to repeat Alex Lowes' time from the morning: best time for Jordi Torres, 1'31.242, ahead of teammate Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes.
Michael Van der Mark was fourth, four and a half tenths behind, ahead of Alex Lowes, Jonathan Rea, Chaz Davies and Sylvain Guintoli, over a second from the first.
Randy de Puniet and David Salom complete the top ten. Seventeenth Troy Bayliss.

The riders will take to the track tomorrow (tonight Italian time) for the third and final free practice session, valid for access to Saturday's Superpole.

Below is the combined times of his sessions:

1 22 A. LOWES VOLTCOM Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'30.855
2 81 J. TORRES Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils Aprilia RSV4 RF 1'31.214 1'31.242
3 66 T. SYKES Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.403
4 91 L. HASLAM Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils Aprilia RSV4 RF 1'31.520
5 65 J. REA Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.541
6 18 N. TEROL Althea Racing Ducati Panigale R 1'31.614
7 60 M.VD MARK PATA Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR SP 1'32.400
8 7 C. DAVIES Aruba.it Racing-Ducati SBK Team Ducati Panigale R 1'31.748
9 44 D. SALOM Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.855
10 14 R. DE PUNIET VOLTCOM Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'31.881
11 2 L. CAMIER MV Agusta Racing Department MV Agusta 1000 F4 1'32.135
12 1 S. GUINTOLI PATA Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR SP 1'32.471
13 20 S. BARRIER BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team BMW S1000 RR 1'32.393
14 15 M. BAIOCCO Althea Racing Ducati Panigale R 1'32.565
15 36 L. MERCADO BARNI Racing Team Ducati Panigale R 1'33.060
16 12 M.WALTERS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.091
17 40 R. RAMOS Team Go Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'33.193
18 21 T. BAYLISS Aruba.it Racing-Ducati SBK Team Ducati Panigale R 1'34.060
19 77 J. METCHER Race Center – Demolition Plus Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'34.119
20 59 N. CANEPA Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 1'33.974
21 51 S. BARRAGÁN Grillini SBK Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'35.019
22 72 L. PEGRAM Team Hero EBR EBR 1190 RX 1'35.160
23 75 G. RIZMAYER BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR 1'34.633
24 23 C. PONSSON Grillini SBK Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'36.116
25 10 I. TOTH BMW Team Toth BMW S1000 RR 1'36.699