Tag Archives: WorldSBK

Competition, News, WSBK

“Positive” test for Ray in Barcelona, explains his adaptation to WorldSBK-spec machinery

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The vast majority of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field headed to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week for two crucial days of in-season testing ahead of the European rounds starting later this month. One of the riders on track was Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) as he prepares for his first WorldSBK campaign, where he will compete in the European round in 2023.

Ray’s testing programme got underway in January but he did not take to the track in Australia or Indonesia, with this Yamaha Motoxracing team competing in the European rounds in 2023 as they did in 2022. He completed a two-day test at MotorLand Aragon, where he had a technical issue which limited his running on Day 1, before completing lots of laps on Day 2. From there, he headed to Barcelona for two more days of testing.

In Barcelona, on the first day, Ray completed 69 laps and posted a best time of 1’43.006s, around 2.5s slower than pacesetter Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with the reigning Champion lapping close to the all-time lap record. His day was disrupted on Day 2 after he had a crash on his second lap in the morning, but he was able to complete 30 laps when he returned to the track with a best time of 1’43.320s.

Reviewing his Barcelona test, Ray said: “It’s nice to get the two days testing done. Obviously, Aragon didn’t go to plan. It was very positive here. We had a full day on Day 1, I think we did 70 laps, so it was nice to finally find my feet and work in a direction we needed to. Unfortunately, I had a little bit of a crash on Day 2 in the morning on the second lap. I back shifted but the bike didn’t backshift when I needed it to and just ran into the gravel and crashed. I was back out in the afternoon and we were just working through what we needed to. It would’ve been nice to maybe improve on the lap time. I think a lot of the times were done in the morning and I saw a few people put Superpole laps in. I’m not stressed about the overall lap time, I’m confident with the actual race pace and the pace we’ve got on used tyres.”

Ray has raced in WorldSBK before when he made a one-off appearance in 2018 but 2023 will mark his first campaign in the Championship. He heads into it on the back of winning the British Superbike title in 2022 on the Yamaha YZF R1 machine, the same as he’ll use in WorldSBK, although there are different rulesets. After the WorldSBK test, Ray explained how he is adapting to WorldSBK machinery with these differences.

He said: “We’re slowly making progress now. It’s funny because they’re both R1s but this is completely different from what I had in BSB. On the electronics side, I can definitely do with more laps and to learn a lot more on that. The chassis is now starting to become more comfortable. It’s just going to take time. We’ve not had many days testing, the other teams have been testing and two rounds under their belt. I don’t think we’re far away and we’re working in the right direction and I’m looking forward to starting at Assen.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

BOXSET: 25 classic races to celebrate the 35th anniversary of WorldSBK’s first race!

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To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the first ever MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race at Donington Park, held on April 3rd, 1988, we are delving into the archives to bring you some classic races from the past 35 years of action. From intense battles, fierce fights and incredible title deciders, there have been a lot of memorable moments in WorldSBK’s history and the 35th anniversary of the first race is the perfect opportunity to take a look back at some of these.

Volume 1 of the classic races box sets spans from 1996 to 2019, with visits to Hockenheim, Sepang, Magny-Cours, Imola and Phillip Island. History was made, riders took their country’s first win in WorldSBK and there was even drama at the front of the field between two old rivals. There is no shortage of drama and you won’t want to miss any of these incredible races.

Volume 2 once again goes on a trip that spans the decades starting from 2000 and ending up in 2018, with the first venue of WorldSBK featuring a couple of times. Wildcards feature heavily at Donington in 2000 as two British riders went head-to-head for victory, there’s a title showdown from Imola in 2002 between Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss, while there’s also a last-lap showdown at Phillip Island.

Volume 3 contains five more incredible races between 2004 and 2013 as riders went in search of glory. This time, the TT Circuit Assen features heavily with the iconic ‘cathedral of speed’ producing several memorable moments. Last-lap fights are the order of the day in the third volume, at Assen in 2007 and Jerez in 2013, while there are also plenty of clashes between titans to enjoy.

First wins and final wins come up in volume 4 with plenty of emotion on display in the five classic races. Pierfrancesco Chilli’s last win in a memorable race where he gambled on tyre set-up to storm through the field features, as does Chris Walker’s first and only win in WorldSBK. The history Monza venue features twice with some incredible fights while there’s a wet Sepang race that features the late Nicky Hayden’s only win in WorldSBK.

The fifth and final volume in the series features races from more recent times, spanning 2014 to 2018, but nonetheless are still classic races. There’s a title showdown between Aprilia and Kawasaki, a fierce fight between rivals, teammates going head-to-head for victory, a last-lap battle between Jonathan Rea and Chaz Davies as well as Michael van der Mark making history in 2018.

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Photo credit: Gold & Goose

Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, Social Media, Twitter, WSBK

RT @KRT_WorldSBK: SUCCESSFUL HOME TEST FOR KRT Rea and Lowes took to the track again for one day of private testing at the Circu…

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RT @KRT_WorldSBK: SUCCESSFUL HOME TEST FOR KRT
Rea and Lowes took to the track again for one day of private testing at the Circuit de Barcelona on Friday 31 March, finding set-up improvements on their Ninja ZX-10RR machines around a circuit located just a few hundred yards from KRT’s European base

Source: @WorldSBK on Twitter

Competition, News, WSBK

Lecuona: “I think we are ready to fight for the top positions…”

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Day 2 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was a mixed affair for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). He finished the day second in the timesheets, close to the lap record, but a crash early in the day ended with Lecuona taking a trip to hospital and curtailing his running. He returned to the circuit, albeit not riding, and explained his crash as well as why he is very optimistic heading into the Dutch Round.

Lecuona’s best time was a 1’40.521s as he lapped only a tenth away from the all-time lap record which was set by Tom Sykes in the 2021 Catalunya Round in the Tissot Superpole session, when the 2013 Champion was at BMW. However, Lecuona’s test ended early when he had a high-speed crash at Turn 14 which brought out the red flags so his bike could be recovered. Lecuona was taken to the medical centre for a check-up before having further evaluation at hospital. He was discharged on the same day after these evaluations revealed no broken bones.

Discussing the crash and the test day, Lecuona said: “Luckily, I don’t have anything broken. It’s a fast crash. I lost the front. I didn’t do anything crazy. The line has one bump and the front didn’t recover enough, so I lost the front. When I arrived at the gravel, the problem is I was very close to the bike. I arrived with the bike. On the first jump the bike did in the gravel, it hit my foot. In this moment, I thought I broke my foot. It was painful. I was quite scared. Also, with my face, I did five or six rolls in the gravel. My visor lifted up and all the stones went into the helmet. It’s normal. Honestly, I’m happy, all the checks the doctors did were negative. I have nothing broken. If it wasn’t for the face, I wanted to ride again! It’s not the best way to finish this very good test. Yesterday, I went very fast. Today, I went close to the lap record. When I crashed, I would’ve gone under the lap record. I was alone, comfortable on the bike and everything was easier. Thanks to the team because the biked worked really well.”

The Catalunya test comes a week after a strong test at MotorLand Aragon for the Team HRC squad, with both Lecuona and teammate Xavi Vierge praising the progress made. At Aragon, the team tested a new exhaust as well as different chassis bracing, and the Catalunya test was spent making a direct comparison to ensure the upgrades worked at more than one circuit. This has led to Lecuona feeling very confident heading into the Dutch Round.

He said: “Of course, I’m very confident going to Assen. I’m ready 100% for Assen. I’m very excited to go again. Last year, I got my first podium in WorldSBK there. This year, my potential with the bike is even better. I know I can fight for the podium. I think we are starting to be ready to fight for the top positions.”

Team Manager Leon Camier also spoke about the potential of the Honda following recent tests. He said: “The chassis went really well; the exhaust was exactly the same. Everything in general from Aragon was confirmed here. I don’t think Assen will be too bad a track, especially for Iker. Having said that, both of them were more or less similar. Let’s see. We need to be able to qualify a little bit better than we’ve been doing lately. It’s something we understood the direction we went in maybe wasn’t helpful for Superpole but better over race distance, especially for Iker. If we have a good Superpole, I think we can be optimistic.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

Bautista, Lecuona top the times despite early morning crashes, three manufacturers in the top three

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It was a dramatic day of testing action in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with several crashes and exhilarating pace on display during the two-day test. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) topped the times by less than a tenth of a second ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) despite the pair crashing in the morning of Day 2. Both riders closed in on the all-time lap record but the pair were just shy of it while three different manufacturers were in the top three at the end of the as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took third spot.

DUCATI REMAIN ON TOP: Bautista almost on lap-record pace, Rinaldi fourth

The factory Ducati team opted to run for just half-a-day on Friday but were still able to conclude the second day on top with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as the Spaniard edged closer to the all-time lap record. Bautista posted a 1’40.459s to top the time, faster than he went yesterday and only half-a-tenth down on the lap record set by Tom Sykes in 2021. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi, like Bautista, only ran for half-a-day on Day 2 and took fourth spot after lapping in 1’40.818s. Bautista tried Pirelli’s new front tyres that were available at this test, as he looks to continue his strong start to the campaign although he did crash at Turn 11 in the morning, while Rinaldi also tested Pirelli’s new tyres but at the rear as well as comparing two bikes with different settings.

 

 

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the fastest of the two Independent Ducati riders on track as he finished in 14th place despite two Turn 5 crashes on Day 2. Petrucci was testing a new seat on Day 2 as he goes in search of a more comfortable position on his Panigale V4 R. He posted a best time of 1’42.224s to finish ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who was directly behind Bassani in the standings.

HONDAS QUICK AGAIN: Lecuona second despite crash

After showing strong pace on Day 1, the two factory Honda riders were quick again on Day 2. Lecuona was second after setting a 1’40.521s despite a crash at Turn 14 in the morning which ended his day’s running before lunchtime. He was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash and did not return to track action on Day 2. Vierge was 11th with a 1’41.505s on his CBR1000RR-R. Lecuona had planned to continue trying the upgrades the Japanese manufacturer had at MotorLand Aragon, as well as some tyre testing, while Vierge was focused on overall improvements rather than looking to the Catalunya Round. He also aimed to try new Pirelli tyres.

For the two Independent Honda riders, it was Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) who came out on top ahead of teammate Hafizh Syahrin. Malaysian rider Syahrin was testing some new small components on Day 1 to help find some speed, while Granado worked with Pirelli’s harder tyres on Day 1 to understand the bike/electronics. Granado finished in 17th place with his teammate directly behind.

SINGLE DAY TEST FOR KAWASAKI: both KRTs in the top five

The Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK duo of Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes opted to only test on the second day of the two-day test in Barcelona and the pair finished third and fifth respectively on the second day. Lowes posted a best time of 1’40.853s on his way to fifth place as he worked on some new items from Showa on the fork, making it softer to improve front tyre life. Rea did not have any new items to test but did have some new electronic strategies to try as well as some geometry settings, with Rea ensuring he took third place after setting a 1’40.659s

Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was the sole Independent Kawasaki rider on track and he took 19th spot with the Czech rider aiming to make use of some softer tyres as well as hoping to use a new engine on Day 2. Konig was using his old bike with lots of mileage on already and was hoping a new engine would help him on Day 2.

AEGERTER LEADS YAMAHA CHARGE: top six for the Swiss rookie

The factory Yamahas finished the day with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in seventh place with a 1’41.196s and teammate Andrea Locatelli in 13th place, three tenths behind the 2021 Champion. Locatelli’s focus was on improving his pace at the end of long runs, as well as continuing to work on the electronic settings on his Yamaha YZF R1 machine, while Razgatlioglu continued to work on new components and electronics, something he praised on Day 1.

 

 

Yamaha’s charge in the timing sheets was led by Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) with the Swiss rookie taking sixth place on his first visit to the circuit on WorldSBK machinery. Aegerter worked on some rider ergonomic items, such as handlebars, footrests and the seats as well some electronics. Teammate Remy Gardner, carrying a slight injury on his right hand, was working on both the round here next month as well as looking at the 2023 campaign as a whole and finished in ninth place Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) made it five Yamahas on track and he took 16th spot after an early crash disrupted his running on Day 2.

VAN DER MARK PUTS BMW EIGHTH: plenty of upgrades on the M 1000 RR

Dutch rider Michael van der Mark (ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) enjoyed a good Day 2 of testing as he finished in eighth place, with BMW bringing plenty of upgrades to the test. Van der Mark’s best time was a 1’41.221s, finishing seven tenths down on Bautista’s time, as he tried some rider ergonomic items including two additions to the fuel tank. Teammate Scott Redding was 12th as he finished just outside the top ten, missing out by small margins. BMW also brought two new swingarms to the test, as well as some chassis changes. American star Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) took tenth spot to ensure two out of the three BMWs on track finished inside the top ten.

BULEGA ON TOP: Italian leads the way in WorldSSP

As was the case on Day 1, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was the fastest rider on Day 2 out of the four WorldSSP riders on track. Bulega’s best lap time was a 1’44.638s to top the timesheets ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) as he stepped up his recovery from the broken collarbone he sustained in Australia. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was third as he led teammate Federico Fuligni at the end of Day 2; the pair were often on track together through the afternoon. De Rosa brought out the red flags with a late crash at Turn 14.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

GALLERY: the latest tech innovations from the Barcelona-Catalunya test!

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The vast majority of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field descended on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya test for two days of testing, and there were plenty of innovations on display from the manufacturers. BMW brought some new swingarms, chassis items and rider ergonomic items, Honda continued testing items from Aragon while there were changes to the Kawasaki, Yamaha and Ducatis too. From swingarm variations to geometry changes, no stone was left unturned up and down the grid in order to refine their packages. Check out some of the incredible images from the test at the top of this article!

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

Bautista closes in on all-time lap record pace in Barcelona despite crash, Lecuona second before Turn 14 fall

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It was a dramatic second morning of action in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) topped the times and edged closer to the all-time lap record despite a crash, while a red flag was brought out following a crash for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) at Turn 14. The pair were separated by less than a tenth as the second morning concluded with Lecuona matching Bautista’s pace from Day 1 before his crash.

Bautista set a best time of 1’40.459s, around half-a-tenth slower than the all-time lap record set by Tom Sykes in 2021 in the Tissot Superpole session, but his morning was disrupted by a Turn 11 crash. He returned to the box and was back out on track on his second bike shortly afterwards. Lecuona took second spot after lapping less than a tenth slower than Bautista. His morning ended when he crashed at Turn 14, the final corner of the circuit, which brought out the red flags. He was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took third spot as he posted a 1’41.353s.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) impressed despite carrying an injury on his right index finger as he took fourth spot after posting a 1’41.432s on his Yamaha YZF R1 machine. He was only 0.011s ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in fifth place as he takes part in the Catalunya test for the second day only. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) took sixth spot on his CBR1000RR-R machine after setting a 1’41.646s as he looked to continue his strong form from Day 1.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was seventh as he continued his strong test with the Italian just over a second away from Bautista’s fastest lap and he was more than two tenths ahead of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in eighth. Lowes’ morning was interrupted by a small crash at Turn 5, with the British rider bringing his bike back to the pits. ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team pairing Michael van der Mark and Scott Redding were once again inseparable as they finished ninth and tenth respectively as they continued to look for steps forward. Elsewhere, there were also crashes for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) at Turn 5 and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) at Turns 6/7 on his first timed lap.

In WorldSSP, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) once again led the way and finished more than a second clear of Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in second place. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was third as he continues his recovery from the injury he sustained in Australia.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

Razgatlioglu revels with new electronic settings: “It’s a good feeling… the level is much better!”

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Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was a jubilant figure after Day 1 of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after testing some new electronic settings on his Yamaha YZF R1 machine for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The settings came from teammate Andrea Locatelli’s side of the garage but Razgatlioglu was able to use them and described the changes “as positive”, although his day was disrupted by a crash in the morning.

Razgatlioglu was sixth at the end of the day’s running after setting a 1’41.433s but he had a crash in the morning which cost him some valuable running time. He had a lowside on the exit of Turn 2 a few hours into the running but, despite this, he was happy with his day after getting to try some new components on his bike. After his day had concluded, Razgatlioglu spoke about the positive impact of the new electronics and how it could help him during the 2023 campaign.

Razgatlioglu said: “For me, the first day was not bad because we tried new setups on my bike, and we tried to improve. This morning, I was very happy, I was enjoying riding the bike. After the crash, a very small crash, but very strange for me because I used a new front tyre and I don’t understand the lowside because it was very fast. I’m okay. The bike was a little bit destroyed but, in the afternoon, we tried a different swingarm again. In the afternoon, I am not really happy because we are a little bit lost. This is a test; we just tried some new parts to see whether they look good or not. Tomorrow is a new day. We try again the new parts to improve the bike because the Championship is very long, we need a good bike to fight. Maybe tomorrow I will try a time attack.”

Razgatlioglu has one victory to his name in 2023 so far, the Tissot Superpole Race at Mandalika, although he does have five podiums out of six races this season. The only race he did not score a podium in was Race 2 at Phillip Island, when he was collected by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in a crash when Lowes crashed initially on his own. Now, with the break in the calendar, Razgatlioglu has been able to test some new items to try and add more wins to his name.

Discussing the new electronics, Razgatlioglu said: “Now, I am feeling good because the new electronics, the level is much better. The bike is getting better and I hope tomorrow we can improve again. It’s a good feeling, the engine brake is working a lot especially. This is good for me because I can be happy when entering the corner. Now I am enjoying riding the bike more. Before, I tried hard braking, but the bike is not easy to stop. Now it helps me a lot when entering the corner. This is positive for the Championship because I need a lot of engine brake. The traction is feeling much better. It’s working smoother. This is a good step for the R1.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Competition, News, WSBK

Bautista fastest as Lecuona splits the Ducatis on Day 1 of the Catalunya test, Razgatlioglu has morning crash

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The first of two days of testing for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field got underway at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and it was reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who led the way on Day 1. He was two tenths clear of 2022 polesitter Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) at the end of the day’s running although Bautista’s lap time was set in the morning while Lecuona’s best time came in the final stages of the day’s action.

BAUTISTA LEADS THE WAY: rear suspension items at Ducati

Bautista’s best time of the day came on his 20th lap in the morning when he posted a 1’40.500s to top the timesheets. The time came in the morning and was only a tenth slower than the outright lap record set in 2021 by Tom Sykes when at BMW. It was a strong day for the Bologna-based manufacturer with Bautista’s teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, in third place and around four tenths down on Bautista. Ducati had new parts on rear suspension to try with the aim of improving stability and grip, while there was also development on the front of the bike to achieve faster corner entry.

In terms on Independent teams for Ducati, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) were on track. Petrucci was the fastest of the two as he took 11th spot after posting a 1’42.355s with the Italian rider testing a new fuel tank to improve his position on the bike. Bassani took 12th spot as he worked on solving some issues with electronics that came up during the first two rounds of the season.

TWO HONDAS IN THE TOP FIVE: Lecuona, Vierge impress on home soil

Both Team HRC riders featured inside the top five at the end of day one with Iker Lecuona in second and Xavi Vierge in fifth place. The pair were separated by around six tenths at the end of the day’s running on the CBR1000RR-R with Lecuona posting a 1’40.721s for second spot. Honda were mostly comparing the new items tested recently at MotorLand Aragon to ensure they were working at more circuits, with this including chassis bracing and an exhaust. They also continued to test some electronic setting as well as smaller items, while also looking at setup and trying to understand the machine.

For PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team, Hafizh Syahrin was the lead rider out of him and Eric Granado with the pair towards the back of the field with Syahrin 16th and Granado 17th. The team had some testing material from Nissin to test, including brake discs and cylinders, while they wanted to get some more mileage with the swingarm. The team also hoped to work on some data related to riding style which came up during the first two rounds of 2023.

FIGHTING INSIDE THE TOP FIVE: Gerloff leads the way for BMW

Three BMW riders were on track at the Catalunya test with Independent rider Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) leading the way for the German manufacturer. The American posted a 1’41.150s late in the session to move into fourth eighth place, while the two factory riders, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and teammate Scott Redding, were tenth and 11th respectively at the end of Day 1.

RAZGATLIOGLU SIXTH DESPITE CRASH: electronics work at Yamaha

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) had a disrupted day of running following a crash at Turn 2 in the morning, but he was able to take fifth spot in the classification. The 2021 Champion posted a 1’41.433s to finish in sixth while teammate Andrea Locatelli took eighth spot. Razgatlioglu’s test began yesterday as he joined a track day for the afternoon to test some electronic settings, as well as looking to improve rear grip and position which would help increase traction and drive.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) led the charge for the Independent Yamaha teams with seventh place on Day 1, his first time at the circuit with WorldSBK machinery. Teammate Dominique Aegerter, testing some settings and electronic parts as well as potentially testing some rider position items, was just behind in ninth place. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), preparing for his maiden WorldSBK campaign, was in 14th spot as he got to learn the track on WorldSBK machinery.

NO KRT TESTING ON DAY 1: Rea, Lowes opt to miss the opening day

Both Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes opted to not run on Day 1 of 2 at the test, leaving just one Kawasaki rider on track. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was the last runner in WorldSBK on Day 1 as he set a 1’44.182s, with the Czech rider hoping to reset after a difficult first two rounds.

BULEGA ON TOP: Italian leads the way in WorldSSP

Four WorldSSP riders took to the track on Day 1, with all four running the Ducati Panigale V2 machine. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was the fastest rider on Day 1 as he searched for a good feeling on his bike, posting a 1’44.846s, to finish ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) as he returns from injury. Orelac Racing VerdNatura duo Raffaele De Rosa and Federico Fuligni rounded out the WorldSSP field.

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Source: WorldSBK.com