Nagashima gets to grips with WorldSBK action on Friday at Jerez
With the aim of building on the valuable contribution he already makes to the SBK project, wildcard Tetsuta Nagashima is representing HRC at the final WorldSBK championship round in Spain this weekend.
Nagashima used the morning’s opening practice session to get into the rhythm of WorldSBK competition, the Japanese rider having only ever competed in one Superbike event before now. Harnessing his experience of the Jerez track, Tetsuta made the most of this first phase, completing a total of 20 laps. Setting a best time of 1’42.019, the 32-year-old positioned twenty-first at the end of the FP1 session.
Back on track mid-afternoon for the second practice, Nagashima continued to work in the right direction, making gradual gains during the course of the session. He was able to improve on his FP1 reference by more than seven tenths in all, setting a fastest time of 1’41.270 to round out day one in P20 in the combined standings.
Tetsuta Nagashima 49
“The feeling on the bike today was ok enough. We’ve tried many things, which is normal on day one of course, as I needed to understand the situation, the bike, the grip, many aspects. But overall I’m P20 right now, which is OK. In the first session, I had a few issues with grip, but the lap times gradually got better throughout the day. We still have work to do tomorrow but the important thing is I know where I need to improve. I also have more understanding about where the other manufacturers and riders are, which I think is very useful from a test rider’s standpoint.”
