LAST DAY OF TESTING, AWESOME FEELING WITH USED TYRES!

On the night between Monday and Tuesday, a violent storm hit Phillip Island, where will take place the Round 1 branded WorldSBK. The track has changed considerably compared to yesterday, but the warm weather helped to quickly restore optimal conditions.

In the first part of the morning Team Go Eleven, together with the rider Michael Rinaldi, used the wet track for a shakedown with what will be the race bike. Everything turned out to be in order and ready for the debut. Thus, the test program has resumed, trying to make the V4-R Go Eleven more manageable. From mid-shift onwards Michael shows a step forward in his feeling with his Ducati, managing to significantly improve yesterday’s lap time; enters the top ten with a 1.31.438 that projects him close to the top.

Tuesday Free Practice 1:

P 1   J. Rea   1.30.448
P 2   L. Baz   + 0.076
P 3   T. Sykes   + 0.120
…
P 9   M. Rinaldi   + 0.990

In the afternoon session, the number 21 from Romagna focuses on the race pace, making several passes on the “31” high, demonstrating great confidence with the bike, showing a good race pace with used tyres. There were some technical tests in this last available session, too: a new swingarm made its appearance on the rear of the V4-R Go Eleven. Despite a not too exciting first quick impression, Michael became familiar with the new technical characteristics and managed to push, improving the morning’s time in an overall slower session due to the strong wind.

Tuesday Free Practice 2:

P 1   J. Rea   1.30.523
P 2   L. Baz   + 0.235
P 3   L. Haslam   + 0.359
…
P 8   M. Rinaldi   + 0.884

Thus ends an intense two-day winter test; the Piedmontese team, Rinaldi and the Rossa have found an excellent harmony in view of the start of the season. An eighth place a few tenths from the top five, conquered and reiterated several times, indicates that the right path has been taken…now two days of exciting wait before the curtain of the 2020 Superbike World Championship opens!

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Rider):
“I am quite satisfied with the work we have done today. The step forward has been clear especially with the used tyres, which is fundamental in this track. It seems to me that I am not struggling and I can get good laptimes. We have to improve a bit with the new tyre, because the bike becomes a little too physical, increasing the effort to ride it. Compared to the firsts we have yet to improve, but I only lose a few tenths spread on the whole track. Since yesterday we have improved a lot and I am convinced that from Friday we will do another step. Now we have to look carefully at the data to understand where to work in order to feel “mine” the bike and let it do what I want with ease. ”

For the pictures of Phillip Island test-Day 2: CLICK HERE

Ramello Elia