British rider Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) claimed top spot in Free Practice 1 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in a session that featured limited running. Overnight rain had left the Cremona Circuit damp with the majority of riders opting to stay in the box during the session, although there was increased activity in the final 10 minutes. The #14 was 1.758s clear of twin brother Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in second as the Acerbis Italian Round got underway.

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The action was limited in the first half of the 45-minute session, with mixed conditions on track and riders opting not to venture out onto the circuit. At the halfway point of the session, seven riders had set lap times with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) leading the way ahead of Markus Reiterberger (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team).

There was a flurry of activity in the final 10 minutes as more riders hit the track, but Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) claimed top spot ahead of twin brother Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in second, albeit with around 1.8 seconds separating them with the #22 only completing one timed lap. Sam Lowes’ best time was a 1’36.007s. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) went out in the final 10 minutes as he secured P3 on home soil.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was the lead Yamaha rider as he got to show off the new wings on his R1 machine, completing just two-timed laps and setting a 1’39.165s. ‘Loka’ was half-a-second clear of reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in fifth, with the #1 setting a 1’39.625s to secure P5. Markus Reiterberger (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), standing in for Toprak Razgatlioglu, was the highest placed BMW rider in sixth.

Niccolo Canepa (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), replacing the injured Jonathan Rea, was seventh ahead of Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team). Ray, who is running the wing-less Yamaha, had been in the top three in wetter conditions but fell down the order as other riders improved. Marvin Fritz (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was ninth with Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) and Ivo Lopes (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) completing the list of riders who set a time. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had gone out on track with a slick tyre but didn’t set a lap time.

The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:

1. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 1’36.007s

2. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.758s

3. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +2.934s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +3.158s

5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.618s

6. Markus Reiterberger (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +5.339s

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Source: WorldSBK.com