---
title: "Fores fastest on day one of Phillip Island test"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/02/20/fores-fastest-day-one-phillip-island-test/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "SBK"
published: "2017-02-20T09:42:23Z"
modified: "2017-02-20T09:42:47Z"
---

# Fores fastest on day one of Phillip Island test

The World Superbike and Supersport fields kicked off their final preparations for this weekend’s opening round of the season at Phillip Island with the first of two days of testing at the Australian circuit.

The day was partly affected by a spot of rain early on, but conditions improved for the afternoon’s session. With the track getting better with each lap, top spot swapped hands on a number of occasions.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/643280992.jpg)

At the chequered flag, it was Barni Racing’s Xavi Fores who was top of the pile on his customer Ducati Panigale R. The Spanish rider was four tenth clear of the field on a 1m31.412s having completed 39 laps across both sessions.

Reigning world champion Jonathan Rea opted against running during the damp first session, which meant the Kawasaki rider only managed 21 laps today. Nonetheless, Rea ended Monday’s running second fastest and eight tenths of a second clear of team-mate Tom Sykes in sixth.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/643280956.jpg)

Aruba.it Ducati’s Marco Melandri hasn’t raced ridden at Phillip Island for quite some time, but that didn’t stop the retuning Italian from putting in the third fastest time of the day. Pata Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark was two tenths adrift in fourth, whilst MV Agusta’s Leon Camier brushed off an early mechanical issue to complete the top five.

Pedercini Racing’s new signing Alex De Angelis was an impressive seventh on his Kawasaki, with Ducati’s Chaz Davies, Milwaukee Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori and Yamaha’s Alex Lowes rounding out the top 10.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/643280944.jpg)

Both Red Bull Honda’s completed the most laps of anyone unsurprisingly, as both Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl continue to develop the new Fireblade having had very little time with it during the pre-season.

The pair were 11th and 12th respectively, ahead of Althea BMW’s Jordi Torres, Milwaukee Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty and Torres’ team-mate Markus Reiterberger.

Josh Brookes took his BSB-spec Yamaha R1 to 16th on the time sheets as he begins his preparations for a one-off appearance in WorldSBK in 2017 at his home round.

In the Supersport class, CIA Landlord Insurance Honda’s Jules Cluzel topped the time sheets by nearly two tenths of a second from MV Agusta’s Roberto Rolfo. Britain’s Kyle Smith rounded out the top three on his Team Lorini Honda.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/526862362.jpg)

Kenan Sofuoglu turned his first laps on his Puccetti Racing Kawasaki since last season’s Qatar race, and was impressively sixth quickest despite only five laps on the bike.

The Turkish rider suffered a wrist injury during a training incident earlier in the year and this led to some doubt as to whether he’d even be in Phillip Island.

Testing concludes tomorrow from 09:10 local time with two more sessions for both classes.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/2017-02-20-1-1.png)

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/2017-02-20-1.png)