WorldSBK Catalunya Test: Camier praises ‘productive test, potential is big’

HRC Team Manager Leon Camier left Barcelona pleased with the progress of his Honda WorldSBK team after both riders sat top ten in testing. Appearing to switch seamlessly from MotoGP to WorldSBK, Iker Lecuona challenged the front runners with a top three time on Saturday’s dry morning running.

His 1’41.033 around the 4.6km Catalunya layout demoting Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea down to fourth as the rain arrived and curtailed the action, while Xavi Vierge completed the final private test of the preseason in tenth, just seven-tenths adrift. The second day’s change in weather did provide the opportunity for both rookies to continue their education on the CBR1000 RR-R, with the Fireblade’s wet settings fine-tuned ahead of the season’s official start on April 8th-10th.

A late crash for Vierge, however, left the Spaniard heading for hospital with a fractured rib. “It’s been very productive for us,” Camier commented from the Catalunya paddock on Saturday.

“We’re just finalising basically the package we have, that we’ve done all the work in the previous offseason. Things have gone well, for sure we need to keep working, we need to keep making a step.