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SBK, Lightning Redding, 1st in Aragon tests in front of Davies

Despite a bout of food poisoning, Scott and Ducati turned out to be the best at Motorland, Lowes' Kawasaki 3rd, Razgatlioglu 4th

SBK: Lightning Redding, 1st in Aragon tests in front of Davies

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If engines will be revving in Valencia tomorrow morning, they were instead turned off after the first Moto3 free practice sessions yesterday evening. Two days of Superbike tests at Motorland in view of 2020 have ended.

In spite of the adverse weather conditions on Wednesday and Thursday, everyone was waiting to see the riders in action. Much of the curiosity was directed towards Scott Redding, engaged in his second outing after Valencia, riding the Aruba team's Ducati.

They are just tests and, consequently, taking stock of the risks would be counterproductive, but the fact is that Scott and his Panigale V4 managed to whip everyone into shape. So, it wasn't a bad start for the Ducati rider, who arrived at Motorland after a bout of food poisoning. An unscheduled event that didn't, however, stop the reigning BSB champion, who is trying to tailor his bike to himself, in order to get ready for the inaugural appointment at the end of February at Phillip Island.

Redding closed the two days in Spain with a flourishing result, and 60 laps, managing to break down the 1'50" wall, and blocking the chronometer at the 1'49"929. Playing a tight defense was Chaz Davies, with a little more than two tenths from his teammate. A lot of hard work for the Welsh rider, who had to reach a constancy that he didn't have on the Ducati during the last season.

Strange was Johnny Rea who didn't reach a top position. Given the weather conditions, the Cannibal preferred not to risk it. Johnny decided not to race yesterday, opting to return home and prepare for the end of the month at Jerez. So, in action for Kawasaki was their new entry, Alex Lowes, who filed away a Thursday in third position, ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu by only four thousandths of a second.

The Turkish rider wasa the fastest of the Yamaha riders at Motorland, since van der Mark failed to go beyond a fifth fastest time, chased by the R1 of the American rider, Gerloff. Compelled to the chase was Federico Caricasulo, struggling for the first time with the Superbike. At the end of Thursday, the prior rider for Evan Bros occupied a seventh place, with just over a second from the top. The group ends with Leon Camier, the victim of a fall without consequences that forced him to close the day early.

He'll be returning to the track on November 28th for tests in Jerez.

ARAGON TESTS - THURSDAY TIMES

1. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’49.929 – 60 laps

2. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’50.185 – 30 laps

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’50.653 – 50 laps

4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) 1’50.657 – 36 laps

5. Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) 1’51.088 – 20 laps

6. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) 1’51.133 – 25 laps

7. Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) 1’52.477 – 39 laps

8. Leon Camier (BARNI Racing Team) 2’03.047 – 4 laps

Translated by Leila Myftija

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