With only a few days to go until the first practice sessions of the opening FIM Supersport World Championship round get underway most of Honda’s strong entry enjoyed two days of fine weather at the official IMS test sessions at Phillip island in Australia.

A perfect way to prepare for the imminent new season, the tests featured 14 Honda riders and there will be even more when the championship reaches Europe for round two at Imola. In all, 28 riders made it to Australia for testing and then the race on Sunday 26th February.

In a last minute push to set a strong lap time, after two days spent working on race set-up, seasoned WSS campaigner Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) hoisted his name to the top of the official time sheets at his native circuit.

Fourth quickest was Briton Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) who returns in the same team as last year, but with different title sponsors. Another of many PTR supported or supplied riders, former GP star

Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) had a great introduction to the class by going fifth fastest and he is already feeling that Supersport should suit him just fine.

Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda) enjoyed a return to Honda machinery in the tests and feels anything will be possible in 2012. Back for more in the same set-up he rode in last year talented young Hungarian Balazs Nemeth (Racing Team Toth Honda) reached his top ten placing at the tests, while changes to his set-up compared to 2011 allowed Polish rider Pawel Szkopek (Bogdanka Racing Honda) to burst into the top ten after testing – a position he will try to keep when the action starts for real in a few days.

On the entry list for the first round and the rest of the year are South African Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda), Hungarian Imre Toth (Racing Team Toth Honda) and Czech rider Ondrej Jezek (SMS Racing Honda).

Roberto Tamburini (Team Lorini Honda) made a decent transition to Honda power at the Phillip Island tests, going 17th, and two places behind Lukas Pesek (PRORACE Honda).

Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda), Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini Honda) and Thomas Caiani (KUJA Racing Honda) round out the Honda entry for the first race of a 13-round season.


Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda)

“In general I am very happy. I have not ridden a bike for four months and we sort of rolled in here, having only just put the deal together in the past three weeks. Yesterday we worked well and today we just fine tuned the bike to suit my style and every time we went out we went quicker and quicker. At the end we saved a couple of tyres to do a fast lap after we did some race runs, but now we will go into the weekend working on our race set-up.”

Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda)

“Having a test so close to the first race weekend is always good. We were the fastest in the morning of the final day of the tests and then fourth overall, so that was positive. I had a crash and that held us back a bit when I was going to try for a fast lap. We also worked a lot on race pace and I think we are basically there. We have a lot of time to go until Sunday’s race, but I think race pace wise we are pretty much there already. The team has done a mega job and the bike is pretty good. The winter was too long for me so I just want to get underway now.”

Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda)

“It was my first time on the bike in these tests and also in Supersport so I am happy because I feel OK on it. It is easier compared to the Moto2 bike; also the traction control and the engine braking are nicer and I prefer that. I am happy with this style of bike and I did not expect to be fifth after the first test, and close to the fastest lap time. I think we can make a battle for the podium at the first race and this is not so bad because I want to try to improve on every exit out of pitlane. This test worked out that way.”

Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda)

“Our tests went well and I think the tests were mainly based on finding set-up for this race weekend coming, We had a bit of a bad first day because the generator had an issue on the bike, but the second session on Monday went well. On day two every single time I came in we tried a new setting to find one that was perfect and we found a really good one. I went out there and did ten laps on the same tyre and still did consistent times. It’s great to be on a Honda in this championship, the bike is just an easier bike to ride than some, and we will be on it for the weekend I’m sure.”

Balasz Nemeth (Racing Team Toth Honda)

“We will make some changes to the bike and I think we can gain some time still, but I am happy to be inside the top ten after the last test of the pre-season. We should be good for the race. We had so many problems here last year, but this test has gone well and we found a good setting early on. I think our race settings are working and in the race I should just concentrate on doing the lap times. I think we can in the top regularly so that is our aim, and to get as many points as possible.”

Pawel Szkopek (Bogdanka Racing Honda)

“We changed the bike position compared to last year, and now we found more grip in the rear wheel. I have better speed in the corner and I felt safer, more stable, on the brakes. Our improvements in performance are due to just this, the bike geometry change. I have more confidence into the corners. And we found a good tyre set-up, so it all worked pretty well today as I am in the top ten. We know our direction for the race so maybe we will get better and better over the first race weekend.”

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