[visordown.com] - Alex Lowes tops the timesheets during preseason WSBK testing

[Ninjette Newsbot]

2013 British Superbike Champion Alex Lowes finished top of the timesheets following a week of pre-season testing at Portimao on-board the Yoshimura-powered GSX-R.

Lowes completed 165 laps at the Portimao circuit which allowed the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki team to test newly developed electronic control strategies and 2014 Öhlins suspension. Numerous chassis setting evaluations took place to further develop improvements made in Almeria at the beginning of the week.

Lowes' team-mate Eugene Laverty improved over the two days by 0.8s, however Lowes was quickest over the two days with a lap time of 1'42.5 only 0.1s ahead of Laverty who finished second overall.

"The test has been really good, I'm still learning a lot about the bike and obviously it’s a new track for me, so it was nice to have the opportunity to learn the track and still be quick," said Lowes.

"We did a long run today and while the times were good, the most important thing was that it gave me a lot of confidence. We got a lot of information about the bike and it was good for me as well, as I've not done a race simulation since the last round of BSB. I still need to improve myself a lot and work on the bike but we shouldn't be too far away!"

Lowes concluded: “A massive thanks to the team, they've been working really hard, late nights and two tests back-to-back. I think everyone is excited, we are all getting on great; we know we need to work hard, we have a big challenge in front of us and it’s nice to do a good job.”


Unofficial combined times at Portimao:

1. Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) 1'42.5

2. Eugene Laverty (Voltcome Crescent Suzuki) 1'42.6

3. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda) 1'42.9

4. Davide Giugliano (Factory Ducati) 1'43.0

5. Marco Melandri (Factory Aprilia) 1'43.1

6. Chaz Davies (Factory Ducati) 1'43.2

6. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda) 1'43.5



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