Eugene Laverty (BMW M-1000RR) – an old friend in a new team and with a new bike, with which he was allowed to hit the track for the first time. So you shouldn’t expect too much from the Northern Irishman at the start of the season.

Conclusion from the Aragon tests before the season opener

In addition to Chaz Davies as the only Ducati driver, this time the entire BMW squad took part for the first time. Including the unfortunate Eugene Laverty, who had not yet driven a meter with his new M-1000RR. His team RC Squadra Corse had badly let the Northern Irish down in Barcelona and had not even come. But this time it finally worked and the veteran, one of the longest-serving drivers in the WSBK, was finally able to do his first laps and was accordingly enthusiastic. The reigning 6-time world champion Jonathan Rea covered a total of 147 laps during his two days of the last preseason test. His team-mate Alex Lowes was also there and drove 186 laps. All riders use the last test to give their bikes the finishing touches before the start of the new season.

Alex Lowes on the new Kawasaki ZX-10RR, with which the twin brother of Moto2 ace Sam definitely has one of the most powerful weapons in the battle for podium places. In Aragon last year, the Englishman was strong, especially on the second weekend.

Jonathan Rea with unsurprising best time confirmed his form

It was not surprising that on the new Kawasaki ZX-10RR Jonathan Rea was able to undercut his pole record from the previous year by a good 3 tenths. After all, he had been inferior to Ducati and Honda on the long straights with the older model, especially Bautista 2019 in Aragon. However, it is difficult to make a prognosis based on the times of the Aragon Tests before the season opener at the same location due to the unclear balance of power. Most of the supposed experts were completely wrong both before the 2020 season, which affected many drivers, and then and this year in MotoGP. The strongest opponents are likely to be those drivers who were able to convince last year for about the entire season. Because Aragon is a special track, the results of the season opener should not be overestimated either. Below are the best times of all drivers so far in Motorland Aragon from April to May, before HRC Honda with Bautista and Haslam will take to the track on Thursday.

The overview of the best Aragon test times until May 5th:
1. Jonathan Rea (GB), Kawasaki, 1:48.528 (absolute lap record from the SP 2020: 1:48.767 by J. Rea)
2. Alex Lowes (GB), Kawasaki, 1:49.182
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (TR), Yamaha, 1:49.763
4. Tom Sykes (GB), BMW, 1:49,857
5. Chaz Davies (GB), Ducati, 1:49.913 min
6. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha), 1:50.577
7. Eugene Laverty (IRL), BMW, 1:50.604
8. Andrea Locatelli (ITA), Yamaha, 1:50.702
9. Michael van der Mark (NL), BMW, 1:50,781
10. Jonas Folger (D), BMW, 1:50.815
11. Isaac Vinales (E), Kawasaki, 1:51.724
12. Kohta Nozane (JAP), (GRT Yamaha), 1:52,254
13. Chris Ponsson (F), (Alstare Yamaha), 1:52.946

As the reigning world champion, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki ZX-10RR) is automatically the man to be beaten this season as well. With his preparation, the Northern Irishman is well-prepared and is entering his seventh year with the Greens with a lot of self-confidenc.

Tom Sykes (BMW) on his last test before the start of the season

“It was a very productive test. We have now done so much with the electronics, traction control, engine braking, and power level maps. We’ve also worked with different chassis configurations and settings, and tried a few things with the engine. Other than that, it was some other basic things that we tried. So overall they were very busy days. A big thank you to the entire BMW Motorrad WorldSBK team for putting so many hours into all the preparations. We just have to go back now and use all this information, but certainly a lot has been collected, and I really believe that we can improve the entire package of the new BMW M 1000 RR. I am now looking forward to the first races. “

Tom Sykes (BMW M-1000RR) – a man that MotoGP cannot offer and who ensures that no eye stays dry on every cozy evening. But also one of the fastest drivers ever and has been for many years.

BMW newcomer Michael van der Mark to the Aragon test

“The days were fantastic. The weather was good every day. It was a bit cold on Monday, but then it got warmer and warmer, so we had a lot of different weather and track conditions and that was excellent. It was perfect here just before race one to test. Lots of things to try, lots of things to improve, but I’m very pleased with the progress we’re making. Of course, it’s always difficult to see where you are on a test, but we’ll get to it find out the race weekend. I’m looking forward to some good battles again and to fighting with the other guys on the track. “

“Magic Michael” van der Mark on the BMW M-1000RR – everyone is excited to see how the man from Gouda in the Netherlands will start the new season with the blue and white. We’ll know more in a little over two weeks (© BMW Motorrad WorldSBK).

Loris Baz – the big absentee and his bad start in the USA

With the Frenchman, a man is missing this year who was able to convince with the new entry of Ten Kate with Yamaha from Jerez 2019. Although only started in the sixth round, the Dutch team with the veteran was in the top ten at the end. Even before Jordi Torres (Kawasaki), BMW works driver Markus Reiterberger and Sandro Cortese (Yamaha), although less than half of the 25 races of this season have been contested, great! However, some early praise from overzealous journalists for his Moto-America adventure on Ducati was definitely premature. After the first of 10 laps planned so far (another one is still being planned, but so far without an appointment), Loris Baz is currently wearing the red lantern in the US Superbike Championship. Once it had failed due to a fall and once through no fault of its own due to a technical problem.

Loris Baz Photographed by us on the way to the podium after the first race in Misanno – the fast Frenchman managed for Ten Kate what, for example, the two Germans Cortese and Reiterberger were denied. Because Ten Kate couldn’t find the budget, the fast man from Sallanches (southeast of Geneva near the Swiss border in the French Alps) is missing from WorldSBK this season.

The provisional combined calendar MotoGP and WorldSBK

The MotoGP race dates, which collide with a WorldSBK weekend, are written in red. Due to the time change in Japan and Indonesia, however, this is not critical. However, the overseas appointments are highly questionable anyway.

Unless otherwise mentioned, applies to all images (© WorldSBK).