Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased a hard-fought battle to achieve second place at the Estoril Race 1 in The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. He finished behind Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who returned to winning ways for the first time since the Portuguese Round by claiming the top step of the podium at the Circuito Estoril. Bulega crossed the chequered flag over nine seconds behind the #54, who has now extended his Championship lead by an extra five points over the Ducati rider, meaning that Razgatlioglu could be crowned 2024 World Champion on Sunday during the Estoril Round.

“TODAY WAS VERY DIFFICULT…”: Bulega reflects on tricky race

Bulega was having to fight with lots of riders on his way to P2, with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) one of his biggest rivals during the 21-lap race. He was able to get ahead of the #65 and start chasing down the riders in front, including teammate Alvaro Bautista, before the #1 crashed and promoted Bulega into P2

Discussing Saturday at Estoril, Bulega said: “I think that today was very difficult; it was the first full dry session at Estoril on a WorldSBK bike. I started well but I needed the point of reference in dry conditions. On the opening laps, I had to understand a lot and then lap by lap, I got more confidence.”

REA VS BULEGA: Close action racing  

The Italian rider explained the battles he faced against Yamaha rider Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) where he avoided contact and ran out wide onto the circuit, falling to eighth position, but managed to recover as the race unfolded: “I started to fight with Jonny, who was very, very hard to fight with him today. If I overtook him, the next corner he was trying to re-pass. At Turn 2, he was a bit aggressive, and I tried to stay calm, try to recover and then coming back, I got to P3. Alvaro crashed so I got P2; Toprak was already away but I think P2 was the best result I could achieve today. It’s better that I don’t say what I think when I was behind, but it was fun to recover and to make some overtakes.”

P8 TO P2: Strong race recovery, believes ‘if Toprak wins the title, he deserves it’

Bulega’s late race pace improved and he was determined to chase down the #54 and battle for glory in Portugal: “I was very fast and I’m happy with my race because I did the best I could do today”. The Ducati rider responded to questions about his chances of winning the 2024 Championship, saying: “I will try to do my best as always. It’s very difficult because Toprak has a lot of margin and he is very strong. If he wins the title, he deserves it but anyway I will try to do my best like I did all season.”

Can Bulega stop Razgatlioglu from wrapping up the title on Sunday? Don’t miss out on any Estoril action using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Iker Lecuona’s (Team HRC) wait for a second MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship podium came to an end at the Circuito Estoril after claiming third place in Race 1. It was a dramatic race for the #7 who was as low as 14^th across the line on Lap 1 but battled his way back up the order to take a first podium since Assen in 2022, and Honda’s first since Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) stood on the rostrum at Mandalika last year.

Honda have made great strides in recent rounds with both Lecuona and Vierge securing consistent top-ten finishes and both getting closer to the lead group. A tricky Tissot Superpole session with difficult and unpredictable weather conditions on Saturday morning meant both started outside the top ten and, despite quick progress on the opening lap, Lecuona found himself lower than his starting position as he crossed the line to complete the opening lap in P14.

However, he soon started making progress, running in the top ten by the end of Lap 3 and in the top five by the end of Lap 9. He was in a fierce fight with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for fourth, with Lecuona and Rea going side by side throughout the first sector of the lap, before the Spaniard held position on Lap 9 before setting his sights on Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) ahead. As it happened, the Honda rider didn’t need to make a pass on ‘Loka’ after the #55 crashed out of contention at Turn 7, promoting Lecuona to third. Although Lowes remained close behind, Lecuona held on for a first podium in 902 days, 96 races on from his first at Assen two years ago.

Explaining his race and what it felt like to be back on the podium, plus touching on how difficult 2024 has been for him, Lecuona said: “It’s crazy! The start was good, and I could overtake some riders in the first corner but at Turn 4, I went just behind Xavi and tried to overtake Rinaldi. Rinaldi crossed the line and my front tyre hit him on the back. I almost crashed, so I closed the throttle to not crash and about six riders overtook me. I started to overtake, and I couldn’t think so much, just to overtake at Turn 3, Turn 6, I overtook many riders, Turn 7 braking… I felt really strong,

“I had a lot of performance today. I didn’t expect a podium because we didn’t have enough time. It was a question mark over tyre life. I said I’d try to save the tyre in some places and keep the pace. I caught Alex, overtook him and I was P4. I wanted to catch Bulega and Locatelli, but Locatelli made a mistake. I couldn’t relax because Alex was 0.5 seconds behind me. I went a bit faster than Bulega, and I said to keep the pace. In the last two laps, I thought the podium was possible after two years! I was very happy during the whole lap, but coming into pit lane, I started to cry. It’s been a hard year for me with many injuries. Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t good enough to be here. It was a really good thing for me.”

Honda’s progress has been clear since they tested at Cremona in the summer, making big strides after a difficult start to the season. Lecuona revealed how he had changed some aspects of his preparation as part of that, trying to be more focused and relaxed in different areas as he, the team and the manufacturer made progress.

Discussing the mental side of the sport, Lecuona said: “I think in the summer. I need to say I started to work with a psychologist because I needed to be more focused and relaxed in some areas. I work physically more than ever; eat the food I need to eat. I listen to my manager and my team, to my girlfriend and my friends. I changed a lot and they’re working really hard in Japan. From the summer, the bike improved a lot. We were getting closer and closer and now we’ve done it.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) returned to winning ways for the first time since the Portuguese Round by claiming victory at the Circuito Estoril, beating Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) by nine seconds. The #54 showed incredible race pace throughout the 21-lap fight to take the win and extend his Championship lead by gaining five points over Bulega, edging closer to being crowned the 2024 Champion; the moment could come as soon as Sunday during the Estoril Round.

THE TURKISH STAR’S PACE: unbelievable consistency

Razgatlioglu topped both of Friday’s practice sessions, in wet and dry conditions, and then converted that into pole position in Saturday morning’s Tissot Superpole session for his sixth pole of the season. Opting to use the harder SC0 rear tyre and, at the start of the race, ‘El Turco’ dropped down the order as the SCX tyre used by his rivals proved beneficial. However, Razgatlioglu was able to maintain his pace throughout the race as he claimed victory by more than nine seconds.

Out of the 21 laps, only two of the #54’s lap times were outside of the 1’37s bracket. The opening lap, which is naturally always going to be slower as it includes the race start, was a 1’42.589s, while he posted a 1’38.142s on Lap 4. The other 19 lap times were in the 1’37s bracket, with the fastest lap – a 1’37.149s – coming on Lap 9. Although his pace got slower, his slowest lap of the race was on the final lap when he posted a 1’37.938s.

Reflecting on his win, Razgatlioglu said: “The race was really difficult. We didn’t know what the weather would do, it’s been a bit strange, and also, we used a different tyre. All riders used the soft tyre, I used the SC0 standard. My pace was very strong. At the beginning of the race, I’m just waiting and watching. I’m not pushing immediately but started to build slowly. I did a good job and I’m very happy.”

TYRE GAMBLE: the only rider on the SC0…

With mixed conditions on Friday, it was impossible for the riders and teams to get tyre performance data in the dry over a full race distance. Every rider on the grid opted to use the SCX or SCX-A development tyre except Razgatlioglu, who stuck with the SC0 solution which is a harder tyre that the BMW rider was able to use to good effect on his way to victory, and the Turkish start explained why he opted for SC0 tyre.

He said: “At the end of the race, I felt like there was a little bit of tyre drop. I need to improve my bike because I wasn’t happy at some corners. Maybe we’ll use the soft tyre because I tried it for the race, it felt like a Q tyre; after using the SC0, the grip is completely different. This would’ve been a gamble for me because I didn’t know the tyre life, I used the SC0 because I know it. Tomorrow, the weather is much better, looks like it’ll be warmer, so I’ll use the soft one.”

TITLE FIGHT PLAYED DOWN: match point on Sunday for the #54

In the title fight, Razgatlioglu’s win coupled with Bulega’s second place means the gap between them is up to 44 points after the five-point swing. It’s still mathematically possible that Razgatlioglu will be crowned in Race 2 on Sunday, with the 2021 Champion now needing to outscore Bulega by 18 points across Sunday’s two races. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) crashed out of Race 1, dropping out of title contention; he’s 106 points behind Razgatlioglu with 99 available.

On the title fight, the #54 commented: “I don’t know if, tomorrow, I win the race and Bulega finishes second, I’m not Champion. I’m not thinking about this. I’m just focused on the Championship finishing at Jerez and enjoying the race. My target is three wins this weekend and I’m here for this.”

Will Razgatlioglu wrap up the title on Sunday? Don’t miss out on any Estoril action using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

18 laps of The FIM Supersport World Championship Race 1 unfolded at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal on Saturday afternoon, and dry weather greeted the paddock following a day of wet Free Practice Sessions on Friday. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was dominant from lights out, as he led Championship leader Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing) and title rival Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) into Turn 1.

MONTELLA UNSTOPPABLE: Italian leads from lights out

Early crashes for Spain’s Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and #71 Tom Edwards on Lap 1 cut short their first race of the weekend. Chasing down the podium spot in fourth place was Frenchman Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) with Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) close on his tail. The paddock was unable to challenge the Italian #55 rider, who displayed strong race pace throughout, and the other rostrum positions also remained uninterrupted with Huertas and Manzi riding comfortable races in second and third, with Montella’s victory securing Ducati a second consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship.

DRAMA FOR DEBISE: two crashes for the Frenchman

Outside of the podium places, Debise and Mahias provided plenty of close racing action for the Portuguese spectators as they battled for fourth position. The #53 Yamaha rider showcased some impressive late race pace during the closing stages at the Estoril circuit as he made a significant gain towards a podium spot. His speed provided too much however, as he crashed at turn 1 with only four laps remaining. Despite returning to his bike and back into a points position, he once again ended up in the gravel with two laps to go and retiring from the race.

SUCCESS FOR TEN KATE RACING: wrapping up the Teams’ Championship

Ten Kate Racing celebrated Race 1 of the penultimate Championship weekend as they won the Teams’ Championship award, whilst Ducati claimed the all-important manufacturer’s championship, their second in a row. With his Race 1 win and outstanding last lap record time of 1’40.266, Montella claims his eighth win, equaling Sam Lowes at the 12^th-all time spot. Standing on the second step of the rostrum, #99 Huertas achieved his 16^th podium alongside title rival Manzi who also claims his 16^th podium position of the year.

JUST OFF THE PODIUM: Mahias leads Caricasulo

Just missing out on a top three finish was Lucas Mahias, who led Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) and Germany’s Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) across the line to complete the top six. The pressure is now ramping up as the paddock looks ahead to Race 2 on Sunday afternoon. The FIM Supersport World Championship is all to play for as just 50 points separate the top three riders; Huertas, Montella and Manzi.

The top six from WorldSSP Race 1, full results here:

1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +1.321s
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +5.391s
4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +17.164s
5. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +22.548s
6. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +22.603s

Fastest lap: Yari Montella, Ducati – 1’40.266s

Don’t miss WorldSSP Race 2 at 15:15 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship title could be decided on Sunday at the Circuito Estoril. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) holds a 36-point lead over Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) in second and a 50-point advantage over Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) in third. If Huertas leaves the Estoril Round with a 50-point margin over both, he will be crowned Champion. That means the #99 has to outscore Montella by 14 points to secure the title as well as finish ahead of Manzi in Sunday’s Race 2.

Huertas will be Champion if:

• He wins the race and Montella finishes fifth or lower
• He finishes in second, ahead of Manzi and Montella finishes 10^th or lower
• He finishes in third, ahead of Manzi and Montella finishes 14^th or Lower

Can Huertas wrap up the title at Estoril? Find out on Sunday using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The race action in The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway on Saturday afternoon, as twenty-four riders lined up onto the gird for the 21-lap race. Despite a pole position start, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was unable to hold onto first at lights out, as Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed the hole shot into Turn 1of Italian rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) who had a rocket start off the line. Toprak followed through in third position on the opening lap, but it was the Yamaha bikes that were strong from the outset as Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) overtook the title leader into third.

#54 CLEARS FIELD: Toprak wins with 9 second gap

Locatelli demonstrated his early race pace as he took the lead from Petrucci on lap 2, whilst further back, stable mates Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) battled for fifth. It was a four-way fight for the podium spots out in front as Locatelli, Petrucci, Razgatlioglu and Rea exchanged positions. Bulega ran wide out onto the circuit with 19 laps remaining, falling to eighth position, and undoing his work earlier in the race.

BULEGA RECOVERS: 8^th to 2^nd

With 17 laps race distance remaining, Razgatlioglu made his move into first place ahead of the #55, whilst Bautista rode into third ahead of Petrucci and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Bautista demonstrated some strong race pace, with spectators hoping a battle for first with the #54 may unfold, however the BMW rider responded to the pressure, managing to gap the field as the race progressed. Meanwhile Ducati’s Bulega made his way back up through the pack, chasing Locatelli for a podium position.

PETRUCCI, BAUTISTA, LOCATELLI, GARDNER OUT: Riders crash out of contention

An early race crash for Australian Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) resulted in the rider being declared unfit due to a left wrist fracture. A crash at Turn 7, on Lap 7 for #9 Petrucci ended his streak of 12 races in the top five, and there was more drama as four laps later Bautista low sided on the entry to turn 9, meaning his Championship hopes are no more. His teammate, Bulega moved into second shortly before Locatelli took a fall out of his rostrum position with 7 laps to go.

55 WINS FOR TOPRAK: BMW take first win in Estoril

It was Razgatlioglu who stormed to victory at the Portuguese track, as Bulega held onto second, whilst an impressive ride from Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) put Honda back on the podium, the first time since Mandalika last year. British rider Alex Lowes secured fourth place ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) who rounded off the top 6. The afternoon’s Race 1 witnessed the first race with five different manufacturers in the top 5 since last year.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 1, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.221s
3. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +11.020s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +11.973s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +14.018s
6. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +17.727s

Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’37.149s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Race 1 of The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship provided some thrilling action for spectators at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal, as current Championship leader Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) stepped on the top of the podium, ahead of her title rival Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) in second and fellow Spaniard Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) taking third place.

LAST TO PODIUM: Herrera stuns with Race 1 ride

It was an unscripted start to Herrera’s first race of the weekend in Portugal, originally starting from second on the grid, however unexpectedly facing a mechanical issue before the warm up lap. The Spanish rider was able to restart her bike in time for the race start, however, had to do so from the back of the grid. It was the 27-year-old Carrasco who got the holeshot at lights out, leading Neila and Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) into Turn 1.

RED FLAG: Rain ends race at two thirds distance

All eyes were on the Championship contender Herrera though, as she stormed through the field, riding into the top ten in the first lap. Her impressive performance continued as she overtook from fifth position into third with 10 laps race distance remaining, whilst Relph and Carrasco dualled for first. It wasn’t long before the #6 was able to pass Relph into second as she hunted down her title rival #22 Carrasco.

ALL SPANISH PODIUM: Neila completes rostrum

Unexpected rain fall descended onto the Portuguese circuit with just 5 laps remaining, and it wasn’t long before the stewards displayed the red flags, ending the race at two thirds race distance. After race reviews, it was Carrasco who claimed first despite a strong effort from Herrera to overtake into Turn 1 before the flags came out. The heavy downpour resulted in several rides crashing out in the final moments, with the likes of Relph, Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan) and Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team) in the gravel.

JUST MISSING OUT: Sanchez P4, Relph impresses in difficult conditions

It was Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) who just missed out on a podium position as she took fourth place ahead of Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) who managed to get her bike back to pit lane following her crash, followed by Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) in sixth. The Championship dual will continue into Race 2 on Sunday, as both #22 and #6 aim for crucial points in the penultimate race weekend.

The top six from WorldWCR Race 1, full results here:

1. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team)
2. María Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) +0.082s
3. Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.170s
4. Sara Sánchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +5.379s
5. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) +5.458s
6. Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) +9.150s

Fastest lap: Sara Sánchez – 1’54.402s

Don’t miss WorldWCR Race 2 on Saturday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC+1) for FREE on the WorldWCR YouTube channel!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) mastered the mixed conditions at the Circuito Estoril to earn his 18^th pole in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. He was less than a tenth clear of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in second as the battle for pole heated up during Tissot Superpole for the Estoril Round, with six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) completing the front row, securing a top-three position for the first time since his pole at Assen in similar conditions.

THE FIRST STINT: the majority head out straight away, Rea leads the way

The track was wet from morning rain and the entire field except for Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) went out immediately, with the duo opting to wait for a few minutes before heading on to the track. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) led the way after the first laps were completed after posting a 1’52.299s, ahead of Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) although ‘El Bocia’ was half-a-second down on Rea, before the #65 improved by a second despite two big moments on his third flying lap.

RAZGATLIOGLU SECURES POLE: 0.082s between ‘El Turco’ and Petrucci

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) opted for a different strategy to Rea, putting in a banker lap before pitting and re-joining the session later on. That helped him to a provisional pole with a 1’52.640s but Rea did pit with around four and a half minutes remaining before re-joining the action. Although he improved his time, he was unable to take pole as Razgatlioglu set a 1’52.430s to take P1, finishing less than a tenth ahead of Petrucci. The #9 had been setting red sectors on his final lap but lost time in the final sector after a small wobble through the chicane, setting a 1’52.51s to finish just 0.082s behind ‘El Turco’. Rea will line up from the front row as the Brit claimed P3, his best Superpole result since Assen.

BULEGA ON THE SECOND ROW: aiming to move forward in races

Two Yamaha riders were in the top four as Rea’s teammate, Andrea Locatelli, was in fourth and four tenths away from the six-time Champion. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fifth, 0.999s away from pole, as he looks to take the Championship fight to a season finale, while Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed sixth place to put two BMWs in the first two rows of the grid.

ALL-BRITISH THIRD ROW: Mackenzie in a Lowes twins sandwich

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) will head the third row which is full of British riders. The #14 set a 1’53.673s to secure P7 ahead of the surprise of Superpole, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda). The Brit was the lead Honda rider as he claimed P8 to show his wet-weather prowess, often putting in a red sector one to indicate the best of anybody. It’s the first time in WorldSBK the #95 has been in the top ten in Superpole. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) will complete the third row despite a crash at Turn 8 on his first flying lap. The #22 tried to hold on to his ZX-10RR but was unable to do so, before riding his bike back to the pits. A quick repair job was completed before he returned to the track, taking P9.

FOURTH ROW FOR BAUTISTA: the #1 crashes at the end of Superpole

Bassani enjoyed a strong Superpole session, claiming tenth but often running closer to the front in the wetter conditions. It was a difficult session for Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as the reigning Champion crashed when track conditions were at their best. He fell at Turn 6 which meant he was unable to improve his lap time, setting a 1’54.239s to start Race 1 from the fourth row. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) also crashed during Superpole, at the same point as Bautista but a few minutes before. He’ll line up from 13^th, one place ahead of teammate Iker Lecuona.

The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’52.512s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.082s

3. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.509s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.927s

5. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.999s

6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.198s

Don’t miss any Race 1 action from 14:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) claimed the top spot in Free Practice 3 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as the British rider mastered tricky conditions at the Circuito Estoril. The #65 was 0.232s quicker than Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) as the pair consistently swapped fastest times for top spot in the final practice session for the Estoril Round.

Overnight rain left the track damp but with no more falling when the 20-minute session, the times tumbled rapidly as the track dried out. Rea opted to do just one run – a strategy he used in a wet Tissot Superpole session at Assen to claim pole earlier in the year – totalling seven laps as he set a 1’53.126s. Like Rea, Petrucci also only completed one stint as he claimed second place with a 1’53.358s, finishing exactly 0.010s clear of Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). The #54 set a 1’53.368s to claim P3 as he also completed just one long run in the 20-minute session.

Razgatlioglu’s teammate, Michael van der Mark, was fourth-fastest on a good start to BMW’s morning although the Dutchman was around a second off Razgatlioglu’s time. Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fifth fastest, almost matching van der Mark’s effort, with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) completing the top six; two Yamahas in the top six was a contrast to FP2 yesterday, when Rea was the only representative in the top ten.

Spanish rider Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was seventh after he set a 1’54.832s to finish four tenths down on ‘Loka’ in front, while it’s been a good start to the weekend for Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing). The #21 has been close to the top ten all weekend across the various conditions and that continued in FP3 with P8. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was animated in his box in the opening stages of the session but he set the ninth fastest time – a 1’55.553s – with six laps to his name. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) rounded out the top ten.

The top six from WorldSBK FP3, full results here:

1 Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 1’53.126s

2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.232s

3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.242s

4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +1.260s

5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.284s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.328s

Watch a crucial Tissot Superpole session from 11:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – only €9.99!

Source: WorldSBK.com