Superbike: Torres is the fastest in the last free practices in Jerez

Jordi Torres surprisingly set the best time in the third free practice session of the Pirelli Spanish Round in Jerez, riding the RSV4 RF of the Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils.

The Spanish rider had already declared yesterday, at the end of the day, that he had room for improvement compared to the performance of the first two sessions, and this was seen in the last session valid for access to this afternoon's Tissot-Superpole.

The former protagonist of the Moto2 World Championship was one of the many riders able to improve in the last six of the forty-five minutes available to the riders this morning, after the situation had seen little change. The time of 1'41.405 placed Torres at the top of the timesheets with just 29 thousandths of a second over Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), who was in command for most of the time.

Third place for Leon Haslam, who, on the lap following his best time, lost control of his official Aprilia at turn 6. Excellent performance for Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati), fourth ahead of Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) able to finish ahead of teammate and regular rider Chaz Davies, Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati), World Championship leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and to Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike), who completes the top-10 of riders qualified directly for Superpole 2.

Appointment at 15:00 pm with the first heat of the Tissot-Superpole in Jerez, in which the riders who qualified from 10th to 20th position will play for the last two remaining places in SP2.

Below is the time ranking after the third free practice session:

1. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 41.405s 
2. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 41.434s 
3. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 41.538s 
4. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 41.648s 
5. Michele Pirro ITA Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 41.665s 
6. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 41.704s 
7. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 41.712s 
8. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 41.755s 
9. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 41.856s 
10. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 41.919s 
11. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 42.021s 
12. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 42.065s 
13. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 42.201s 
14. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR 1m 42.221s 
15. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 42.777s 
16. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 1m 42.838s 
17. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R1m 42.929s 
18. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 44.133s 
19. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 44.823s 
20. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 45.289s 
21. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 1m 46.622s 
22. Alex Phillis AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 46.717s