Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) continued his strong MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship form with top spot in Sunday Warm Up for the Tissot Aragon Round. ‘Petrux’, who completed a memorable comeback in Race 1 at MotorLand Aragon, was 0.038s clear of fellow Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) during the 15-minute Warm Up as both riders swapped fastest lap times and top spot.
Petrucci and Bautista traded positions during the 15-minute session with the #9 the first to dip into the 1’49s bracket with around five minutes remaining in the session as he posted a 1’49.829s, lapping 0.175s quicker than the reigning Champion. Although Bautista improved his time to a 1’49.867s, he finished 0.038s behind Petrucci as he looks to bounce back from his two Saturday crashes. The two Ducati stars were the only riders to lap in the 1’49s bracket in Warm Up, with third place going to Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) as the Italian set a 1’50.196s.
Race 1 winner Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took fourth, only four tenths down on Petrucci while he was only 0.031s quicker than Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in fifth. Positions fourth to sixth were taken up by yesterday’s rostrum with Rea fifth and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who took second in Race 1, in sixth after posting a 1’50.535s.
American superstar Garret Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was the fastest BMW rider on Sunday morning in seventh after setting a 1’50.652s, although there was little to separate him and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in eighth. The duo were only 0.012s apart at the end of Warm Up, while two Honda riders completed the top ten. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) are often hard to keep apart on track and the timesheets and that continued in Warm Up. The #7 was the lead Honda after setting a 1’50.671s, with his teammate 0.006s slower.
Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) did not set a time. The Frenchman spent the majority of the session in his box before leaving for one out lap.
The top six from WorldSBK Warm Up, full results here:
1. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’49.829s
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.038s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.367s
4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.418s
5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.449s
6. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.706s
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Source: WorldSBK.com