Chaz Davies admits he is still getting used to his new bike as he gets the World Superbikes campaign underway in Australia.

The Knighton-born rider was 14th at the end of the first practice day as new team-mate Alvaro Bautista set the pace at Phillip Island.

Davies has finished runner-up in the championship three times in the past four years and hopes the new Ducati Panigale V4 will be the bike that powers him to the title.

But his pre-season testing was hampered by a back pain and technical issues having had surgery over the winter on the shoulder he bust twice last season.

“We improved my feeling with the bike from the tests on Monday and Tuesday, while in the afternoon we made another small step forward and I had a good feeling in particular with the used tyres,” said the Aruba.it Racing rider.

“At the end of the session we put on a new tyre but unfortunately it didn’t make any difference.

“We’ll carefully study the data and try and make another step forward for Superpole and race 1.

“On paper my position doesn’t look too good, but the feeling is better than many other times here in the past and that’s the most important thing.”

Davies clocked one minute 31.334 seconds around the track near Melbourne as Spaniard Bautista headed the time-sheets with 1:30.327.

The new format sees Saturday’s schedule starting with the third free practice session, Superpole then the first race of the opening double header of the weekend.