WorldSBK Phillip Island Test: Locatelli ‘can’t wait to start’ season

Andrea Locatelli set the morning pace as WorldSBK testing began before Pata Yamaha teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu took over at Phillip Island.

Starting Monday at the head of the times thanks to his morning 1’31.008 lap, the 26-year-old’s opening effort was enough for fifth in the combined times by the close of play and over half a second faster than next best rider, Philipp Oettl.

“Yeah, it was a really good first day here in Phillip Island,” Locatelli confirmed from the paddock on Monday evening. “Was a really good feeling from the first lap on this track. Also the last year was a great feeling, difficult conditions but I think in the end, after the four days of testing in Jerez and Portimao, we find a really good base set up and the feeling with the bike was really good.”

With one day in Australia dispatched and just four hours of pre-season testing left to run on Tuesday, Locatelli was feeling confident with his preparation ahead of the opening round of 2023 this weekend.

“It’s important to continue to work also for tomorrow, to understand and to be ready for the weekend,” he continued. “But I can’t wait to start the weekend to be honest.

“Last year was a bit strange for me, in the middle of the season the feeling was really, not bad, but was difficult to ride the bike.

“Fortunately, we find a really good base set up and in the last few races we were faster. Then we start again the testing and the season, I think, very well.

“In general, the feeling with this bike was always good,” the Italian continued of the YZF-R1. “I was fast also the first year with this bike so in general, the feeling with the bike is really good. We need just to continue to work. Now I have a little bit more experience so I understand much more