After the three private tests carried out at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain, all competitors of the Superbike World Championship met at the Algarve International Autodrome in Portimão, Portugal, for two days of private testing before the first and only official test which will take place at Phillip Island in starting on February 20 as a prelude to the first race on the 26th of the same month. And Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) appeared more consistent than last year…
On the evening of the last tests in Jerez, we went to Portugal to find out if the Rimini driver confirmed the progress shown in Spain.
At the end of this two-day test in Andalusia, the rider from Romagna appeared in great shape and confirmed all the determination displayed on the day of the presentation of the Aruba Racing Ducati team. He seems to have progressed compared to the very best in the category, finishing the first day in 3rd position, behind Toprak Razgatlioğlu et Alvaro Bautista, then 4th on the second day, 0,377 seconds behind the official Yamaha. This is obviously only the first test of the year 2023 and this will have to be reconfirmed in Portimão (Portugal) next Tuesday for the second winter testing session, but this start is very encouraging for the Italian driver who certainly finished his 2022 season in 4th place in the 2022 general classification, but more than 200 points from 3rd, Jonathan Rhea.
After completing 72 and 67 laps on his Panigale, the Rimini driver, who now uses quasi-martial training methods supervised by his teammate's trainer
Alvaro Bautista and D'Andrea Dovizioso, summarizes his test in Andalusia as follows: “ We worked on both the bike and the tires. We are going to Portimão with good energy knowing that we have had two very productive days. Our lap times were in line with the guys in front even if with the qualifying tire I couldn't improve much. On the pace of the race, on the other hand, the feeling was really good, that's why I'm happy. »
And there was confirmation, since the Ducati official, who has a 2023 Panigale with an improved, more linear 240,5 horsepower engine, new more compact fins and a new exhaust, actually achieved the best time of the first day, 61 thousandths ahead Jonathan Rhea and 68 thousandths ahead of his teammate Alvaro Bautista, even allowing itself to relegate Toprak Razgatlioğlu 2 tenths behind at the end of the 89 laps completed on the handlebars of his two machines, 2022 and 2023.
On the final day, the #21 driver was able to reduce his time by half a second to finish with a solid 1'39.144, just 109 thousandths of a second behind his reigning world champion teammate, beating in the process by around a half a second the old record held until then by Jonathan Rhea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in 1'39.610 since the 2022 Superpole.
Finally, Michael Ruben Rinaldi concedes only a tenth to Alvaro Bautista et Jonathan Rhea, thus appearing as the most serious card to transform the usual set of aces into four of a kind…
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21): “ We started these tests very well, finishing the first day with the best time. I expected everyone to be faster today, but we also made significant progress. We recorded incredible times and my race pace was good too. I tried another front end on the bike, which allowed me to have more feeling with the bike when changing direction. I really like it. In the end, I just tried to have a regular rhythm on each lap, to improve the feeling a little. Nothing very important, but we arrived with a very good feeling and now we have to continue working because Australia is close. I am very satisfied, especially because with my team we managed to follow the program that we had agreed, laying a solid foundation that will undoubtedly help us in the future. For sure, these two tests were positive, but the Rounds are another thing. »
The next stop for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will be the Phillip Island circuit (Australia) where the final winter tests will take place on February 20 and 21, just three days before the first round of the 2023 season.
Ranking of the WSBK Superbike Test in Portimão J1:
Ranking of the WSBK Superbike Test in Portimão J2:
Photo credit: WorldSBK and teams
