After day one of testing for Dominique Aegerter and his GRT Yamaha WorldSBK machine, the double WorldSSP rider was clearly making progress in his new racing role.

After two days, and finishing up in sixth place overall, in a field of 20 WorldSBK machines, he was the talk of the tests, in some ways. Aegerter also used Q tyres to get his best time, but it was impressive all the same, as many other riders also used a Q or two near the end.

“I understand how the tyre works so I pushed more,” Aegerter said of these special soft tyres, with no direct equivalent in the WorldSSP class during his two years there. “If you have more time and more laps like this you can understand more how the tyre works. It is one second different to a normal tyre, so it is completely different riding.”

Aegerter also tried the new rear swingarm from Yamaha. “The nice thing is that we can try it in one bike and in the another bike, use the old one,” he reflected. “We can then put new tyres in both and make seven or eight laps. Then we can make comments. It is nice to prepare the bike like this to see where the difference is immediately. For sure I feel some small differences and I gave the comments to them.

"For me, everything is new so I need more time, more laps to really understand - if it is me, the bike or the electronics.”

When asked about the race pace on regular tyres, Aegerter said on day two, “Today it was a little bit up-and-down because we tried different items on the bike. I am not yet so consistent and when I came in with a tyre and go out with a used one it is always very, very difficult to come back to the same lap time that I was doing with a fresh tyre. I think this is also the system. The tyre drops a little bit, sometimes, especially in these cool conditions. For me I am just riding and improving and trying to get the experience first.

“I think we made ten laps distance and it is not so bad, when we go out again it is more difficult. With the Q tyre I was fast. We are in the second day of our WorldSBK experience. So we need more time to understand the other world champions who have ridden this bike already 20,000km.”

So what are the double Supersport champions’ expectations of himself after this first dry test in the top class?
“I was really excited for this first dry test to see where I stay,” he stated. “I couldn’t sleep very well, so I was very nervous! Sixth place is nice but there is not yet all the riders. We also do not race at this circuit. But, I showed that I can ride fast with the bike - which is the most important thing.

“In the end the most important thing is on Saturday, for the first race in Australia. There, if I am in this position, I would be very happy. This is only testing but we showed we can be fast.”