The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship ignited at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve and there was no stopping Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) in Free Practice. The Dutchman posted a 1’55.106s, faster than the race lap record, to claim top spot by more than four tenths ahead of his rivals during the Pirelli Portuguese Round, with Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) claiming second place right at the end of the session.
Veneman left it until the final five minutes to move into P1 when he set a 1’55.106s, almost half-a-second clear of in second after the #91 used his final lap to post a 1’55.564s. Vannucci had been briefly demoted from the top three but responded to claim P2, ahead of Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing). The #56 had been the long-time session leader in the 25-minute FP outing but finished it in third place, six tenths away from Veneman’s time.
Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) ensured three manufacturers were in the top four as he set a 1’55.948s to claim fourth place, ahead of Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki), still standing in for the injured Petr Svoboda, claiming fifth place with a 1’56.054s. Teammate Inigo Iglesias rounded out the top six, lapping almost a second away from the pace of Veneman out in front.
Pepe Osuna (DEZA-BOX 77 Racing Team) was seventh ahead of Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team), with the pair separated by half-a-tenth, while Brazilian rider Humberto Maier (MS Racing) was ninth after he set a 1’56.330s; he was 1.224s away from Veneman’s time. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki), who’s won the last three races at Portimao, rounded out the top ten. He was just 0.002s behind Maier when Free Practice concluded.
There’s work to do for reigning Champion Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) ahead of this afternoon’s Tissot Superpole session the #1 could only manage a 1’57.075s in Free Practice, leaving him languishing down in 20th place.
The top six from WorldSSP300 Free Practice, full results here:
1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 1’55.106s
2. Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) +0.458s
3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +0.639
4. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +0.842s
5. Carter Thompson (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.948s
6. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.989s
Don’t miss WorldSSP300’s Tissot Superpole session at 16:10 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!
Source: WorldSBK.com