Race lap record pace was on display at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the FIM Supersport World Championship as Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) topped the timesheets on Friday at the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round. Bulega’s best time was more than seven tenths clear of the rest of the field as he went under the existing race lap record, set in 2022, by four tenths of a second in Friday’s Free Practice 2 session.

THREE MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP THREE: Ducati, Triumph and MV Agusta shine

Bulega posted a 1’44.740s to claim top spot in both FP2 and the combined classification at the end of Friday’s running as he finished 0.747s clear of his nearest rivals. He was the only rider to lap in the 1’44s bracket on his way to finishing first, with Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) in second place. His best time, a 1’45.487s, came in FP2 but was still some seven tenths down on Bulega’s time. In third place was Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who was one of just four riders who did not improve their time in the afternoon. His best time was a 1’45.582s and was set in Free Practice 1, where he topped the times. His day was disrupted by a crash in the morning but it was late in the session and he lost minimal running time.

IT’S CLOSE IN THE PODIUM FIGHT: little to separate the field

Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) took fourth spot in the combined classification despite a top-three finish in FP2, lapping 0.854s slower than pacesetter Bulega. Caricasulo was ahead of compatriot Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in fifth place after he set a best time of 1’45.646s in FP2 while Australian rider Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) burst into the top six in the combined classification. His best time was a 1’45.749s to claim sixth spot overall on Friday.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: half-a-second between second and tenth

After his first WorldSSP podium last time out at Assen, Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) put both MV Agusta machines in the top seven on Friday after he set a 1’45.803s for seventh spot, finishing ahead of Maximilian Kofler (D34G Racing). Austrian rider Kofler was the fastest WorldSSP Challenge rider on Friday and was only a tenth of a second behind teammate Bayliss after the two 45-minute sessions. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was ninth on Friday ahead of Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) who rounded out the top ten. Navarro had a crash at Turn 10 in FP1 which disrupted his session.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 15: a hotly contested race incoming

Dutch rider Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) was 11^th after Friday’s action after he posted a 1’46.001s to claim 11^th spot, missing out on a spot in the top ten by just 0.015s, while Raffaele de Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was 12^th; the Italian rider had a trip through the gravel in FP2. It was a tricky afternoon for Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) after he had two crashes in FP2. The first game at Turn 8 while the second was at Turn 5, and on both occasions,  he was able to return his bike to the pits and he put in a series of late laps to take 13^th place. The returning Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 14^th ahead of Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) who rounded out the top 15.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from Friday in WorldSSP

Yuta Okaya (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) was 24^th despite a disrupted day. The Japanese rookie had a technical issue in FP1 while a crash at Turn 5 in FP2 limited his running. Luke Power (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) was another who was caught out during the day when he crashed at Turn 14 in FP1, and he finished 30^th in the classification. Wildcard Baris Sahin (MDR Offitec Yamaha) had a difficult day in Catalunya after he crashed at Turn 5 in FP2, ending his session early. He finished the day in 31^st in the classification.

The top six following Friday WorldSSP action, full results here:

1 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’44.740s

2. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) +0.747s

3. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.842s

4. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +0.854s

5. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.906s

6. Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) +1.009s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship burst into action on Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round and it was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who topped the times after a stunning show of rapid pace and incredible consistency. The Spanish rider overhauled his teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, to take top spot on Friday as he looks to extend his winning run in Catalunya.

Bautista spent Free Practice 1 working on race pace using the standard SCX tyre and also Pirelli’s new soft compound SC0 front tyre, making its race debut at the Catalunya Round. In FP1, Bautista completed a stint of 17 laps with the vast majority of his laps in the 1’42s bracket, although he dipped into the 1’43s and 1’44s at the end. His best time was a 1’41.779s in the morning 45-minute session.

In Free Practice 2, as the temperatures soared in Spain, Bautista once again did a long stint but this time on Pirelli’s B0800 SCX development tyre and the medium compound SC1 tyre. He did 15 laps and, again, showed incredible consistency as he posted several lap times in the 1’42s bracket with only two, in the middle of his stint, dropping into the 1’43s. His best time in this session actually came in a shorter second and final five-lap stint when he posted a 1’41.486s which was enough to give him top spot in the combined classification.

Reviewing Friday, Bautista said: “For sure, I think it has been very positive especially because we were focused on race pace. In the morning, I tried the new spec that Pirelli brought here on the front. I didn’t have really good feedback on the tyre, but the bike was working more or less like normal. We decided to use it for the race distance to see how it was at the end. It was quite consistent, but the feeling was not too good from the beginning. Also, on the rear with the SCX tyre, it was maybe not the best moment to use it, but we wanted to use it just to see how it was for the race distance. I felt a big drop this morning so, in the afternoon, we used the SC1 on the front; I like this tyre. Suddenly, I found a good feeling with the bike and the bike worked like it did in the test or the other rounds. In the rear, with the 800, we did 16 laps and it was better than the SCX in the morning. The grip was not very different, but I think the tyre life was a bit better, I could be more consistent with the lap times. I was able to do many mid-1’42s, which is a good pace especially because this afternoon the conditions were a bit difficult. With this heat, the grip is very low, and you have to be very precise.”

Despite his strong pace and stunning consistency, Bautista believed as many as five riders could be in the hunt for victory come Saturday’s Race 1 and Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race and Race 2. He namechecked Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), as well as teammate Rinaldi, plus adding two names who showed strong pace on Friday: Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC).

Discussing the potential for hard-fought races, Bautista said: “I saw the lap times from the other riders, and I think my teammate, Rinaldi, can fight for victory. We can’t forget Toprak and Jonathan. Maybe today they were not super-fast in race pace but tomorrow and on Sunday they will be there. We have to pay attention to Aegerter. He had a really impressive pace and also Lecuona. They are two riders who can fight, at least, for a podium.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

While the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship enjoys a weekend off after the Dutch and Catalunya Rounds, one rider will keep himself busy by heading over to France to compete in the French Grand Prix. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) has been called up to stand in for the still-recovering Enea Bastianini at Le Mans as he returns to Ducati in MotoGP™ for the first time since the 2020 campaign.

Petrucci joined the WorldSBK grid in 2023 after a season competing in the United States, as well as taking part in the Dakar Rally last year. He has enjoyed a strong start to his WorldSBK career as he consistently fights in the top ten and has his eyes set on making history during his time in the Championship. However, he will return to the MotoGP™ paddock at Le Mans to stand in for Bastianini as the Italian rider continues his recovery from a fractured right shouler fracture.

Bastianini tried to make his comeback at the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto recently but, after taking part in Friday’s action, withdrew due to his injuries. Petrucci will take his place on the Ducati machine, returning the #9 plate to Ducati for the first time since 2020. Petrucci has two MotoGP™ wins to his name which both came with Ducati including victory in France at Le Mans in 2020. His other win came on home soil at Mugello.

Petrucci raced full-time in MotoGP™ between 2012 and 2021 and scored ten podiums including his two wins for Ducati, and he raced as a replacement rider for Suzuki in 2022 at Motegi. By the time he takes to the grid at Le Mans, he will have four WorldSBK rounds under his belt as he fights for top Independent honours as well as looking for podiums and, potentially, race wins in the Championship.

Discussing his return to MotoGP™, Petrucci said: “I am thrilled to be back racing in MotoGP™, although I am sorry that Enea has to miss another race. In Le Mans with the Desmosedici GP, I won my last race in MotoGP. It will be an honour to be able to try the World Champion bike and wear the suit that I won with in the past. It is an indescribable emotion, and I can’t wait to get back on track with the Ducati Lenovo Team. Thanks to Barni for letting me take this opportunity and to Ducati for thinking of me!”

Team Principal Marco Barnabo added: “Ducati asked us about Petrucci’s willingness to replace Bastianini in MotoGP and we are happy to give him this opportunity. As Barni Spark Racing Team we are always happy to collaborate with the factory. I wish the Ducati MotoGP™ team and Danilo the best of luck on this adventure.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The sun shone strongly at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship on Friday, with the field taking to the circuit with a track temperature approaching 50 degrees. Come the end of the day, it was Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who was in a league of his own, with a strong lap time at the end of the session being the icing on top of a strong race run cake.

DUCATI AND BAUTISTA: the perfect match in Barcelona

With an additional 20 degrees of track temperature, it was somewhat unsurprising to see the Ducatis so strong on Friday afternoon. Alvaro Bautista remains the rider to beat over the long distance however, with a strong race pace in the morning and in the afternoon, with a run of 14 laps achieved in the 1’42s in FP1, more than his rivals. In the afternoon, Bautista did a 16-lap run, all of which were in the low-to-mid 1’42s before going out and setting a 1’41.486 to set the outright best time of the day, which will certainly make his rivals sit up and look. Teammate Rinaldi was second at the end of the day but didn’t improve his time at the end. Fastest in the first session in the morning, Michael Ruben Rinaldi came out the blocks fighting from the start and that translated into the afternoon too, as he was once again one of the riders to beat.

CHASING: Rea leads Kawasaki charge, Razgatlioglu third for Yamaha

Jonathan Rea’s (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) afternoon wasn’t as strong as his morning session, with Rea outside of the top ten in 11^th place for a lot of the session before ultimately finishing third. Due to everyone else struggling to better their opening time, Rea took third overall, but he’ll be fighting for the podium or the top five if race pace from the afternoon is anything to go by. Teammate Alex Lowes was ninth overall, reliant on his morning time, but 14^th in the afternoon. Once more, Kawasaki struggling when temperatures come up and grip is at a premium, although for Rea, he seems to have found some sort of solution.

As for the blue corner, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was third on the combined times but was inside the top five throughout FP2, as he enjoyed the heavy braking areas of Turn 1 and Turn 10. The Turk hasn’t won in Barcelona but will hope that he can turn that around this weekend. Teammate Andrea Locatelli’s afternoon saw him strong inside the top nine but he crashed at Turn 5. Losing the front, it was a typical Turn 5 tumble, but it was a costly error, as a new SC0 tyre needed to be tested and time is always of the essence. At the end of the day, Razgatlioglu was third and Locatelli remained sixth.

HONDA’S HOME HEROES: Lecuona and Vierge in the top eight

It was a strong opening day for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and Honda, as they always shine in Barcelona – whether it is testing or not. Lecuona’s pace was in the 1’42s, and a solid effort will hope to be rewarded throughout the remainder of the weekend. As for teammate Xavi Vierge, he crashed in FP1 at Turn 1 but remounted but he wasn’t quite there in the afternoon, down in 12^th, one place behind teammate Iker Lecuona. Come the end of the day however, they were still fifth and eighth and that will be filling Leon Camier’s team with confidence going forwards.

INDEPENDENT ORDER: Aegerter shines, Bassani behind

In terms of Independent riders inside the top ten, Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the sole representative in seventh place but he had a strong afternoon session once again, whilst top Independent in the standings, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) was a big improver in FP2 but still only 13^th.

BMW AHEAD OF THE REST: work to do for those behind, Gerloff impressive

For the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, their best efforts came from Scott Redding, unsurprising given that he’s the only full-time rider in the team this weekend. Redding was up in eighth in the hotter afternoon session but wasn’t top BMW. That honour went the way of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW), who was up in fourth after FP2, putting him tenth overall. Teammate Loris Baz was 13^th, putting him 15^th overall.

Elsewhere in the pecking order, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was only 14^th at a circuit of which he’s had a MotoGP™ podium, whereas Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) was only 16^th. The Independent Ducatis no match for their factory counterparts come the end of the session. Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) took 17^th ahead of Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO), Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team). Ray was ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha), Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing), Ivo Lopes (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing), who had a technical problem at Turn 5.

Top six combined after Friday in WorldSBK, full combined results here:

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.486s

2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.147s

3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.166s

4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.233s

5. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.582s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.593s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship started its Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round in a typically unpredictable way on Friday with the order changing consistently throughout both sessions, but it was Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) who claimed top spot on home soil. The Spanish rider was almost four tenths clear of his competitors at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as most riders on the grid found time between Free Practice 1 and 2.

FIGHTING AT THE FRONT: looking to challenge Perez Gonzalez

Perez Gonzalez was one of several riders who led during the second 30-minute practice session but his time of 1’55.948s, set in FP2, was the fastest of the day to finish almost four tenths clear at the top of the timesheets. He was the only rider in the 1’55s bracket but he was still half-a-second away from the Tissot Superpole lap record and eight tenths away from the race lap record. Italian rider Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) took second spot after lapping 0.394s slower than Perez Gonzalez, while 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) jumped up the order to third spot and just over four tenths down on Perez Gonzalez.

DI SORA QUICKEST IN FP1: fourth overall, first in the morning

Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) was fourth after posting a 1’56.422s although the Frenchman was the fastest rider in Free Practice 1 as he showed strong pace throughout Friday, finishing ahead of double Assen winner Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) in fifth place. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) is another who has shown strong pace throughout the weekend so far with the Italian rider taking sixth place in the combined classification.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: it’s close in WorldSSP300

Fellow Italian rider Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) was seventh ahead of the Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team duo who took eighth and ninth respectively. Humberto Maier was the lead rider in the team as he took eighth place with Enzo Valentim in ninth and the pair separated by around 0.020s. Rookie Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) rounded out the top ten after lapping around seven tenths slower than Perez Gonzalez at the top of the timesheets.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300 Race 2

Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was the lead KTM rider in 11^th place after setting a 1’56.800s, finishing ahead of Gabriele Mastroluca (Arco Motor University Team) in 12^th and wildcard Unai Calatayud (Arco Motor University Team) in 13^th place. Mexican rider Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) took 14^th place ahead of the returning Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing). The Indonesian rider rounded out the top 15 after setting a 1’56.947s, around one second down on the fastest rider.

Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) was one rider who did not improve in FP2. He had a crash in the very early stages of the second practice session at Turn 4 which meant he did not set any lap times, meaning his FP1 time, a 1’56.982s, was his best of the day. This was good enough for the rookie to take 18^th place in the classification.

The top six from WorldSSP300 on Friday, full results here:

1. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) 1’55.948s

2. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) +0.394s

3. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.429s

4. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.474s

5. Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) +0.593s

6. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) +0.648s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

As the sun continued to beat down in Barcelona and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the on-track action was intense as always. With a track temperature surging into the 40s, grip – like always in Montmelo – came at a premium. Looking good from the start and growing in stature all the time, Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) grabbed first honours of the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round weekend.

It was a bright start to the day for Bahattin Sofuoglu, with the Turkish star enjoying the feeling of topping a session in World Supersport for the first. The #54 will look to follow in the footsteps of uncle, Kenan, and add his name to the winners’ list. However, he suffered a crash at the end of the session at Turn 2 but was back up and running and on top. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) took second position as he aims to close the gap to Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with just 0.199s covering the top three. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) took fourth place and it was Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in fifth, although they were over fourth tenths adrift of Sofuoglu.

Making it two MV Agusta’s inside the top six was German rookie Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), as the #23 continues to make good strides in the opening third of the season. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was seventh and further up the order than previously demonstrated, although he suffered a fall at Turn 10. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) was in eighth, ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) and top WorldSSP Challenge rider Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME Air Racing), who completed the top ten.

Top six after WorldSSP FP1 in Barcelona, full results here:

1. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 1’45.582s

2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.077s

3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.199s

4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.424s

5. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.452s

6. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.504s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Bright sunshine brought warm temperatures and a track temperature of 37 degrees at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain. The legendary venue hosts the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, where it was a Ducati on top after FP1 but not the one that had been anticipated. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was on mighty form at a circuit he always goes well at, bouncing back after disappointment in the Netherlands two weeks ago.

Leading the way for the majority of the session, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) responded from his Dutch doldrums at Assen with a fine morning in Montmelo. The Italian set a 1’41.633 and was sitting pretty on the top of the timesheets, and will aim to improve further, already just a second off of last year’s Superpole time. In second place and with new chassis items to try and conserve the front tyre more, and the #65 looked good in the warm morning temperatures, just 0.019s behind Rinaldi. Third place honours went to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who charged up the order on his final stint to make it three manufacturers inside the top three. Pre-weekend favourite Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took fourth place but stayed in the pits for the final four minutes, heading out right at the end for a practice start. It’s always a strong round for Honda and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was fifth in FP1.

Bumping himself up to sixth place in FP1, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was just ahead of Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was top Independent rider in P7, ahead of the second factory Honda of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), who crashed at Turn 1 in the closing stages of the session, although he was able to remount. English duo Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) completed the top ten.

There was a small crash for Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) at the start of the session and he finished in P17. Top Independent rider in the Championship standings Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) was only 13^th. Ivo Lopes (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) is replacing Michael van der Mark this weekend but didn’t get out to set a lap time with a mechanical problem.

Top six after WorldSBK FP1 below, full results here:

1. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.633s 

2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.019s

3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.086s

4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.146s

5. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.435s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.446s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Indonesia’s Aldi Satya Mahendra had another great start to his race weekend in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship by snatching a second pole of the season at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Catalan track offered near-perfect weather conditions on Friday morning for Free Practice 1, although the tarmac was still a little ‘green’ for the R3 riders who were the first class to put the rubber down. Italy’s Emiliano Ercolani set the fastest time in the opening session, more than a tenth of a second quicker than his nearest contender, Mahendra. Ercolani won the inaugural R3 race of the season back in Assen, and he has clearly carried his form into Barcelona. Rounding out the Top 3 in FP1 was Thailand’s Krittapat Keankum.

The temperatures soared for Superpole and the young talents were keen to make the most of their qualifying session. Unfortunately, a red flag temporarily halted proceedings at the halfway point when Poland’s Dawid Nowak took a heavy fall. The bLU cRU stalwart emerged uninjured, but it was session over for him. Meanwhile, Mahendra was building pace at the front, clocking a lap time 0.463 seconds faster than his rivals to take his second pole from two rounds. Home rider Marc Vich secured second on the grid, while Ercolani rounded out the front row.

Full Friday results can be found here.

Aldi Satya Mahendra said: “I’m feeling very happy because this is my second pole position of the season, but the job isn’t finished, and I want to stay focused for tomorrow. We have two races tomorrow and let’s see what I can do. For sure I want to end up better than Assen, where I was on pole but finished 12^th and 7^th.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

Track action for the 2023 Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya got underway with the 30-minute Free Practice 1 session for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship with a mixed-up order in the opening session. French rider Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) topped the times in FP1 by almost two tenths ahead of his nearest rivals as he showed his hand first in Barcelona.

Di Sora set a best lap time of 1’56.521s to top the times in the 30-minute session ahead of Assen podium finishers Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) and Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team). Di Sora was 0.192s ahead of Vannucci in second place after he set a 1’56.713s, while the Italian was around half-a-tenth clear of Maier in third with the trio separated by just over two tenths.

Fourth place belonged to home hero Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) as he lapped 0.271s off the pace, with Perez Gonzalez ahead of Mexican rider Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) in fifth place after he set a 1’56.862s. Teammate Alessandro Zanca took sixth place, only 0.018s slower than Uriostegui, with Zanca only 0.359s away from top spot in Free Practice 1.

Rookie Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) was seventh and around four tenths off the pace with the Dutch rider often riding in tandem with teammate Jeffrey Buis; the 2020 Champion finished in 23th place. Rookie Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo-PI Performances), who scored a podium here last year as a wildcard, was eighth with Spanish rider Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) in ninth place. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) rounded out the top ten ahead of Championship leader Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) in 11^th with the Czech rider only taking to the circuit in the second half of the season.

Wildcard Unai Calatayud (Arco Motor University Team) was 19^th on his return to WorldSSP300, with his teammates Gabriele Mastroluca and Ruben Bijman directly ahead of him. The returning Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) took 23^rd place. Ivan Bolano Hernandez’s (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) debut session came to an end with around three minutes left when he had an issue heading into Turn 9, causing him to end FP1 early.

The top six following WorldSSP300 FP1, full results here:

1 Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) 1’56.521s

2. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) +0.192s

3. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) +0.253s

4. Jose Perez Luis Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) +0.271s

5. Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) +0.341s

6. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) +0.359s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Dorna WSBK Organization and Pirelli have announced the extension of their partnership for another three years. Pirelli will remain the Official Tyre Supplier for all classes of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, up to and including the 2026 season.

This long-standing partnership, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has been a testament to the success of the collaboration between DWO and Pirelli. The two organisations have worked together closely to develop high-quality, reliable, and high-performance tyres that are essential to the safety and success of the riders.

WorldSBK provides a competitive and challenging environment for Pirelli to develop and innovate its tyres continually. As such, the Championship is a key tyre development platform in Pirelli’s motorcycle strategy and the extension of the partnership confirms Pirelli’s commitment to the Championship as a crucial part of its motorsports involvement.

DWO is delighted to continue its partnership with Pirelli, and both parties look forward to working together to further improve the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship. The renewed partnership will undoubtedly help to enhance the competitiveness and excitement of the Championship, providing riders, teams, and fans with a thrilling experience.

Aldo Nicotera, Senior Vice-President and Head of Moto and Cycling Pirelli said: “This year we are celebrating an important milestone: in fact, it has been 20 years that we have been alongside the FIM Superbike World Championship as sole supplier for all classes. A road, begun in 2004, which represented the first example of a single-tyre formula in the history of top motorsport competitions and which, years later, has proven to be a winning choice, later followed by other championships. Motorsport has historically been an integral part of Pirelli’s DNA and this renewal is in line with our corporate strategy which sees World Superbike as a key platform for the development of our motorcycle tyres, starting with racing and super sports tyres. We are happy to continue this adventure alongside Dorna, the teams and riders until 2026 whilst continuing to offer motorcyclists from all over the world tyres that contain the best of Superbike-derived technology.”

Gregorio Lavilla, WorldSBK Executive Director for DWO added: “Pirelli has proved time and again to be a perfect match for WorldSBK as our sole Official Tyre Supplier. Not only does our partnership ensure a great level of quality and performance to our teams and riders throughout the season on a wide variety of venues, but they also completely embraced the values and philosophy of the Championship by bringing to the race track the products they offer to motorcyclists. WorldSBK has evolved through numerous eras and phases since we started to work with Pirelli and the fact that we’ve been building on this mutually beneficial collaboration over the past 20 years is unprecedented. So, it’s with great enthusiasm that we’re looking towards the future of WorldSBK and Pirelli together as the Championship evolves and new challenges arise.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com