Kawasaki new-boy Jonathan Rea once again out-paced team-mate Tom Sykes to top the final day of World Superbike testing at Jerez and by some margin, finishing six-tenths up on the former champion using qualifying tyres.

Rea set a 1'40.739, which was 0.008s slower than Alex Lowes' fastest time yesterday, but a little way short of Loris Baz' pole time of 1'40.298 set in much warmer conditions earlier this year.

Lowes' team-mate Randy De Puniet grabbed second place with a 1'41.296 and seemed happy with his work while Lowes was a gnat's slower than the former MotoGP man in third place with Sykes in fourth.

“It was a very good day! We had a full day’s testing which was very interesting and in my situation I needed a day like that. We worked very well and I’m feeling more-and-more comfortable on the bike and I think we have done a great job with the few laps and the three day’s that we have had," said De Puniet.

"We are becoming more comfortable as a team and working together and I have a good feeling and am starting to enjoy riding the bike. It’s a great start, my team-mate is also doing a good job, which is great, as we can work together to be very strong for the first race.

"We can see we are near the top of the timesheets and this is important, even if it is only the winter tests, and it is good to finish the year like this. I hope the weather will be good for tomorrow, but in the wet conditions on the first day, my feeling was very good too, so if the test finishes tonight, for me it’s fine and we will see what happens next year.”

Leon Camier also joined the fray in Spain, hopping on board the MV Agusta he will ride for next season but ended up four seconds off the pace.

Jerez World Superbike test times day three - conditions dry

1 Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Team 1’40.738

2 Randy De Puniet Voltcom Suzuki 1’41.296

3 Alex Lowes Voltcom Suzuki 1’41.321

4 Tom Sykes Kawasaki Team 1’41.335

5 Michael van der Mark Pata Honda 1’41.437

6 Sylvain Guintoli Pata Honda 1’41.813

7 Leon Camier MV Agusta 1’44.905