Rea ends test on top

For the third day running, Jonathan Rea has set the best time at the multi-team BSB test taking place at Almeria in Spain.

The 20-year-old set the pace throughout the dry weather test which has just finished, getting to grips with Michelin tyres for the first time in his career at astounding speed. Despite a pained knee still sore and swollen from the aftereffects of a crash late last year, new HM Plant signing Rea headed his experienced team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonatri each day of the test.

Rea said: “It’s good to get back into the swing of it really. It’s hard at the moment to compare the Michelins with stuff I’ve used before, they have very different characteristics, but so far they seem great and I’m liking them.”

Rea’s best time today was a 1.35.26, convincingly ahead of Kiyo whose best was a 1.36.1 – but looking deeper into the figures Kiyo spent much of the day looking for race set-ups, and reeled of a devastating 13-lap race simulation during the day with each lap in the low 36s.

Second today was Leon Haslam, setting a 1.35.4 best despite crashing earlier in the day and sustaining a gash on his left knee. Haslam and team-mate Lavilla spent much of the day experimenting with the new works Ohlins TTX36-07 forks they will use this year, with Haslam saying: “They are awesome, the edge grip is much better than last year. I’m happy with the day, apart from the Armco experience!”

Stobart Honda’s Tom Sykes also crashed today, losing the front at the same corner Haslam crashed at: Sykes was unhurt, and the bike largely undamaged.

His best today was a 1.36.5, putting together an impressive test overall despite being in the shadow of former champ and Stobart team-mate Shane Byrne who set a best of 1.35.8.

Rizla Suzuki’s Chris Walker set a strong time after a flurry of changes and new settings on the bike, having spent much of the early part of the test doing sponsor photo shoots, firing in a 1.35.7 as he clearly gelled with the bike on the last day. Team-mate Cal Crutchlow set a best today of 1.36.3.

Suzuki and Honda will travel on to Guadix for further tests, where they will be joined by Michael Rutter on his Kawasaki.

TODAY’S TOP TIMES (NO OFFICIAL TIMES)
1 J Rea 1.35.26
2 L Haslam 1.35.4
3 C Walker 1.35.7
4= G Lavilla 1.35.8
4= S Byrne 1.35.8
6 R Kiyonari 1.36.1
7 C Crutchlow 1.36.3
8 T Sykes 1.36.5