American Patrick Jacobsen looks like the man to beat in Sunday’s Supersport World Championship opener at Phillip Island after easily topping the timesheets in a two-day test session on Monday and Tuesday.
Jacobsen stopped the clock in a best lap of 1:33.688, exactly half a second ahead of fellow MV Agusta rider Roberto Rolfo (1:34.188), with the top five completed by 2016 Phillip Island WorldSSP winner Jules Cluzel (Honda, 1:34.272), Frenchman Lucas Mahias (Yamaha, 1:34.461) and Federico Caricasulo (Yamaha, 1:34.480).
There was some serious firepower in the second half of the top 10, with world champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) completing the test in seventh and Finnish star Niki Tuuli (Yamaha) in ninth.
Aussie Aiden Wagner was 14th on his new Honda mount, one spot ahead of Anthony West (Yamaha). The local brigade was completed by Lachlan Epis (Kawasaki) in 21st and Matt Edwards (Triumph) in 26th.
Sunday’s WorldSSP opener will be held over 18 laps, starting at 1:30pm.
Patrick Jacobsen fastest in World SSP testing credit Graeme Browne
Anthony West rides across the top of Lukey Heights on his West Racing entered Yamaha YZF-R6 machine. Credit Russell Colvin