For Dominique Aegerter, a test this week in Cremona was not only a welcome opportunity to bridge the long break until the next stop of Superbike World Championship in Misano in three weeks’ time, but also to prepare for the race weekend there in September.
An initially two-day test planned at the Cremona Circuit in Northern Italy, a new addition to the FIM Superbike World Championship calendar, came to an end with positive experiences for Dominique Aegerter and his GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team. Due to unsettled weather yesterday (Thursday), the 33-year-old Swiss rider and his crew decided to stay in the pits. In improved conditions, they were able to complete an extensive program on the second day. Aegerter finished in eighth place, just somewhat over half a second behind the day’s fastest lap time set by his team-mate Remy Gardner.
Aegerter got his first impressions of Cremona Circuit during a private training session earlier this month. The inaugural race weekend of FIM Superbike World Championship at the 3.8 kilometres long track not far from the city of Cremona will take place on the weekend of September 20-22.
#77 Dominique AEGERTER (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team, Yamaha YZF R1)
"Today was the first real test for me at this track with my Yamaha Superbike I race in world championship. Fortunately, the weather played along after we didn't go out yesterday due to changeable conditions. It was dry all day long so, we were able to put in a lot of laps and test all the tyre options Pirelli has brought to this test. There were also a few new parts from Yamaha to try and evaluate. The day was positive throughout, even if there was a lack of consistency and I would have liked to have been a bit faster. But luckily there is good data from the two fastest riders at the end of the test, and that was my Yamaha team mates Remy (Gardner) and Andrea (Locatelli)."
"I had a small crash just before lunch break. But that had no further consequences, because my crew fixed the bike in a flash, and we were able to continue our work in the afternoon with both bikes. A big thank you to them for their work. After the long break, it was time to finally get back on my Yamaha Superbike. I had to wait a long time for this opportunity and next week we have another important test in Misano, which will shorten the unusually long break in the championship."
Practice Times WorldSBK Test Cremona:
1 Remy GARDNER / AUS / GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1 / 1´28.860
2 Andrea LOCATELLI / ITA / Pata Prometeon Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1 / 1´28.919 +0.059
3 Michael Ruben RINALDI / ITA / Team Motocorsa Racing / Ducati Panigale V4R / 1´29.047 +0.187
8 #77 Dominique AEGERTER / SWI / GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1 / 1´29.506 +0.646