'Epic and nic🌳e' were the words Garrett Gerloff used when summing up his first💯 pre-season WorldSBK test of 2022. 

Back aboard his Yamaha R1 for the first time since last year’s WorldSBK season finale at Mandalika, Gerloff was very impress♒ive as he finished the Aragon test less than a tenth behind reigning wꦺorld champion Toprak Razgatlioglu. 

The American, who struggled for much of the 2021 season,ﷺ was regularly inside the top two of what was a five-rider-strong private Yamaha test. 

Gerloff spent much of the weather-affected test focusing on the team’s new brakes’ package and electronics, however, two areas that weren’t touched at all were the suspension and geometry.&nb🐎sp;

Gerloff said: "It's so epic and nice to be back on my Yamaha R1 after a long time. Yesterday when I rode the bik𝐆e again it was quite a shock! Today it was so cool to have a full dry day; we tried a bunch of new stuff, including new brakes, and didn't touch suspensions or geometry. 

"I'm just focusing on myself, getting the rhythm and t﷽hose things. During the off-season I worked a lot on myself to improve every aspect, fr𝐆om physical one to mental one. 

"I'm feeling to be in a really good placeﷺ and glad to be back, now let's keep working an❀d see how the things go in another track like Misano." 

Fourth fastest was team-mate Kohta Nozane who needs🦹 a big 2022 season for the GRT Yamaha o𓆉utfit. 

Nozane completed 90 laps on his first action of the year, which was fo♉urth best - only Christophe Ponsson had less (84). 

Like Gerloff, Nozane was busy testing a variety of🤡 new par൩ts and felt like he left the Aragon test in good shape, despite being 1.4 seconds off the American. 

Nozane added: "Finally we are back. It was such a long time! We had many test items and it was not easy to man🎃age all the jobs, but in the end we are satisfied and the job was done well. 

"It's cool that we had the possibility to make a lot of laps todꩲay and it's a good start for 2022 season. 

"Now let's move to Misano: I like a lot the circuit and I cannot wait to🌜 be there, Italy is like my second home!"