Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse)’s late FP2 effort moved him to the top of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship timesheets on Friday, while title contenders were placed throughout the combined classification for the Tissot Aragon Round. Championship leader Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) was third overall while Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) was down in 20th place at MotorLand Aragon.
NOTHING TO SEPARATE THE PACK: all to play for at Aragon
Gennai had been down the order in FP1 but a last-gasp effort from the #26 hauled him into top spot in both FP2 and the combined classification as he set a 2’07.028s. The Italian was only 0.038s faster than Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) in second after the German, who scored two podiums here last year, was fastest through the majority of the second practice session. Championship leader Buis was third as the Dutchman set a 2’07.216s, finding almost two tenths compared to his FP1 time where he took top spot. The top three were separated by just 0.188s to set up an unmissable weekend of Aragon action.
CLOSE TO THE FRONT: in podium contention?
Jose Manuel Osuna Saez (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) surged up the order in FP2 to take fourth overall, only 0.241s down on his rivals, with Championship contender Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) in fifth. Geiger had been just behind teammate Lehmann in the standings throughout the afternoon but was demoted to fifth late on. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) was sixth as he set a 2’07.436s.
ALL TO PLAY FOR: eight tenths between the top ten
Dutchman Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) was seventh as he looks to make it consecutive rounds with podium finishes. He posted a 2’07.469s to finish a tenth ahead of Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) in eighth. The Indonesian finished in the top six in FP1 and continued displaying his rapid pace as he took eighth in FP2, as well as the combined classification, with most riders improving their time in the afternoon. Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) took ninth with Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) in tenth. The Frenchman was the highest-placed rider to not improve their time in FP2, with his 2’07.592s good enough for second in FP1.
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS WITH WORK TO DO: aiming for Saturday progress
There were title contenders spread up and down the order. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) was 14th with Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) directly behind in 15th. Svoboda, currently fourth in the standings, finished 20th in the combined standings.
The top six from WorldSSP300 on Friday, full results here:
1. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) 2’07.028s
2. Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.038s
3. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.188s
4. Jose Manuel Osuna Saez (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) +0.241s
5. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.342s
6. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.408s
Watch every moment from Superpole on Saturday at 09:45 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!
Source: WorldSBK.com