Haslam injured at Phillip Island test, Checa stays in control

Leon Haslam is likely to need an operation to repair a crack in his right Tibia after suffering a heavy crash at Phillip Island today.

The 28-year-old Brit high sided his BMW Motorrad S1000RR exiting the fast final turn slapping both his ankles hard onto the tarmac.

Haslam and his team are currently deciding on whether he will have an operation to screw the crack and ad strength and stability to the injury or ride at this weekend’s opening round un-treated.

Haslam wasn’t the only high profile crash of the day, Crescent Fixi Suzuki rider Josh Brookes who is standing in for the injured John Hopkins had a heavy crash on the exit of MG corner.

The Australian rider high-sided his GSXR and opened up an old wound on his abdomen. The BSB front runner but carried on riding and only got treatment on it after the morning session had been completed.

Eugene Laverty spent the day at the race track but elected not to ride as he fights for fitness after braking his third metacarpal on his left hand in a 195mph crash last week.

The 26 year old hopes to complete some tentative laps tomorrow to understand whether it will be possible for him to race at the weekend.

At the front of the field, Carlos Checa continued to dominate testing in terms of outright pace and consistency. The Spanish rider has been the benchmark at the circuit for the last two years and on current form 2012 will be no different.

He said: “We have reached a limit in this track in testing and it seems we are in the same limit, 1’31.8 to 1’31.9,” stated Checa.

“We are trying different things, moving the bike, suspension and electronics and some things are better in one area then worse in another but the lap times are basically the same.

“It is not frustrating because we are working well and getting some good conclusions but I felt the track conditions today meant that everyone was struggling to improve lap times.

“I used both the wide and narrow Pirelli tyres and there is some difference between them, but we are still not clear which one can be the best.”

Max Biaggi had a strong day on his factory Aprilia to finish in second place with BMW rider Marco Melandri making a big improvement in both lap time and position compared to the testing last week to go a full second faster and move in to third place.

Honda Superbike rider Jonathan Rea claimed the fourth fastest time, despite being absent from last week’s three day test.  Tom Sykes continued to show strong pace to end the day in sixth with the ever improving Leon Camier up to 11th.

1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’31.947
2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’32.132
3. Melandri M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’32.232
4. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’32.379
5. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’32.397
6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’32.465
7. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’32.768
8. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’32.836
 9. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’32.848
10. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’33.005
11. Camier L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’33.104
12. Fabrizio M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’33.141
13. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’33.246
14. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’33.366
15. Aoyama H. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1’33.479
16. Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’33.566

In World Supersport, Kawasaki men Fabien Foret and Kenan Sofuoglu set the pace ahead of Australian Ten Kate Honda rider, Broc Parkes.

Brit Sam Lowes had a strong opening day to finish fourth fastest onboard his Bogdanka PTR Honda.

1. Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’35.140
2. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’35.377
3. Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1’35.412
4. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’35.652
 5. Cluzel J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’36.115
6. Nemeth B. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1’36.165
7. Leonov V. (RUS) Yamaha YZF R6 1’36.740
8. Pesek L. (CZE) Honda CBR600RR 1’36.784
9. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’36.924
10. Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1’37.102