In what was a mighty start to the day for the home riders, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) got his home-round weekend off to a flying start as he led the way in front of the Ducatisti in Friday’s FP1. The 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship battles promises to be a belter and with six Italians in the top seven places in WorldSSP FP1, it could be a battle amongst the home favourites this weekend.
Montella hit the top with less than ten minutes to go and was the rider to beat after FP1, with the #55 looking to get back to winning ways on home soil. Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) led the way for the majority of the session but was beaten come the close of the opening session of the weekend, just 0.028s behind Montella. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) took third ahead of wildcard Simone Corsi (Altogo Racing Team), who was looking very strong and got straight down to business. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) spoiled the Italian party at the front with fifth on his final lap.
In sixth Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) clinched sixth but did suffer a Turn 2 crash at the start of the session. He was able to remount and crack the top half-dozen. Seventh place went to another wildcard in Marco Bussolotti (Axon Seven Team), who is back in the WorldSBK paddock at home and riding well too. The most-recent race winner in WorldSSP, Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), took eighth place, ahead of Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) and Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), who completed the top ten. In the top ten, plenty of reasons for Italian fans to cheer as each nine of the ten places are occupied by an Italian rider, manufacturer or team – only van Straalen in P9 breaks the sequence.
Top six after WorldSSP FP1 at Misano, full results below:
1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’38.229s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.028s
3. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +0.202s
4. Simone Corsi (Altogo Racing Team) +0.376s
5. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.432s
6. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.472s
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Source: WorldSBK.com