Rea continues reign

Jonathan Rea continues to lead the BSB stars testing out in Spain, with the new HM Plant signing again going fastest at Almeria on day two of the three-day test there.

His performance is all the more remarkable, since Rea is riding for the first time since breakijng his leg at the end of last year, and also in his first run on Michelin tyres after a move from Dunlop.

Second quickest on day two was Leon Haslam. 0.3 down on Rea’s 1.35.3 laptime, which the 2006 runner-up said was beyond expectations,  explaining: “This is a regular Michelin test track so we knew we might be well down on the Hondas because they have so much data for here, and we thought that to get within one second would be good – so to actually get within 0.3 is great for us.”

Reigning BSB champion Ryuichi Kiyonari was third fastest yesterday, setting a 1.35.9 best, with 2005 champ Gregorio Lavilla 0.4s adrift in fourth. Shane Byrne set a 1.36.8, Chris Walker a 1.37 dead on the first of the Rizla Suzukis, Tom Sykes on 1.37.1, Cal Crutchlow 1.37.4, and Leon Camier on 1.37.5.

Conditions were excellent, and the only problems reported include an electrical problem on Lavilla’s Ducati 999, which forced an engine stoppage, and a suspected dropped valve on Crutchlow’s GSX-R1000 – eventually discovered to be a faulty amplifier.