PARKES TOPS WORLD SUPERSPORT TEST AT PHILLIP ISLAND

The result for the 31-year-old from Newcastle was even more impressive, given that it was his first real hitout on the new Ten Kate Honda. Parkes returns to Ten Kate for the 2012 season after last racing for the Dutch team in 2004, where the talented Aussie finished 2nd in the World Supersport championship.

Australia's other entrant in World Supersport this year, Eltham's Jed Metcher, was 18th fastest on the new Team RivaMoto Yamaha, with a time of 1m36.798s around the 4.445 km Phillip Island circuit.

On aggregate over four sessions across Monday, Feb 21 and Tuesday, Feb 22, Parkes finished ahead of the Kawasakis of Kenan Sofuoglu (Deltafin Lorenzini) and Fabien Foret (Intermoto Step) with his 1 minute 34.585 second mark being set in Tuesday's final session. Britain's Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) also put in a good overall run, after going quickest in the morning session.

The final session on Tuesday saw the red flags come out for Russian rider Vladimir Leonov, who suffered a few cuts and bruises to his right elbow and left ankle in a crash but the Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha man will make the race on Sunday.

The championship warm-up threw up a number of surprises. The first was 23-year-old Frenchman Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda), who has moved over from the Moto2 category this year, and who was fifth quickest. The second was Vittorio Iannuzzo, another GP class rider, who was back up amongst the front-runners once again with sixth quickest time on the Power Team by Suriano Triumph Daytona.

The riders now have a two day break before the opening round of the World Supersport championship kicks off this Friday at the circuit with practice and first qualifying. Final qualifying is determined on Saturday, prior to Sunday's 21 lap race.

Times (combined Monday-Tuesday)
1. 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.585
2. 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'34.604
3. 99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'34.866
4. 11 Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.957
5. 16 Cluzel J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.131
6. 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'35.362
7. 32 Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'35.701
8. 34 Quarmby R. (RSA) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.824
9. 38 Nemeth B. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.873
10. 19 Szkopek P. (POL) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.009
11. 25 Baldolini A. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'36.085
12. 20 Scholtz M. (RSA) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.217
13. 65 Leonov V. (RUS) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.256
14. 10 Toth I. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.410
15. 52 Pesek L. (CZE) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.439
16. 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.513
17. 22 Tamburini R. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.559
18. 3 Metcher J. (AUS) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.798
19. 69 Jezek O. (CZE) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.832
20. 64 Day J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'36.985
21. 40 Jessopp M. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'37.140
22. 87 Marconi L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'37.146
23. 98 Lanusse R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'37.679
24. 61 Menghi F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'37.703
25. 13 Lombardi D. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'38.057
26. 8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'39.507
27. 27 Caiani T. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 1'39.856
28. 33 Polzer Y. (AUT) Yamaha YZF R6 1'39.938

Supersport records at Phillip Island
Fastest Lap: Fabien Foret (Honda) 1'34.941 (168.485 km/h) - 2011
Best Lap: Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) 1'33.847 (170.512 km/h) - 2010