In the opening session of the second day of testing at Portimao, Troy Corser delivered a boost to his new BMW Motorrad Team Alpha Racing squad, by heading up the time sheets. His team-mate Ruben Xaus was only just behind Corser, as the BMW roundel made its mark on WSB early in the life of their World Superbike programme.
Corser's best session time of 1'50.946 was well down in the overall best from day one, when the track was considerably drier than this morning, and only 14 riders ventured out on track.
Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati) was third fastest and another new entry to WSB in 2009, Shinya Nakano and his Aprilia RSV-4, went into the top four.
Regis Laconi was the second Ducati rider in the rankings today, on his DFX 1098RS, while Luca Scassa was sixth on a Pedercini Kawasaki.
Here the test results from Portimao.
1 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'43.294
2 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.484
3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'43.487
4 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.546
5 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.657
6 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'43.674
7 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'43.767
8 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'43.951
9 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.115
10 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.170
11 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'44.261
12 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'44.425
13 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'44.546
14 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'44.610
15 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'44.704
16 53 Polita A. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'45.108
17 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 1'45.179
18 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1'45.199
19 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1'45.278
20 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.393
21 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.446
22 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.672
23 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.679
24 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.820
25 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'46.128
26 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.916
27 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.971
Corser puts in a respectable time a say.
In the Supersport class, on a rapidly drying track, Andrew Pitt held off his fellow Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate Kenan Sofuoglu, with both riders less than a second from the track best in still not yet ideal conditions in the early session. Their late burst of speed displaced Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow and Kawasaki force Joan Lascorz to third and fourth rankings. New Supersport talent Michele Pirro went fifth fastest in a session with 29 participants.