2023-06-02 18:12:10
Alvaro Bautista started the WorldSBK weekend in Misano with great speed. Most of the factories in the championship already rode here a couple of weeks ago on the occasion of a private test, and this has been noted on the timing table with very fast times since the first morning sessionwhere Toprak Razgatlioglu was in charge of setting the best time in FP1 with a 1’34.154.
In the afternoon, with more temperature on the track, the Turk was one of the few riders who failed to beat his morning time, and that prevented him from braking a alvaro bautista who stopped the clock at 1’33.825 in the final stretch of FP2being the only driver who today managed to drop to 33 in Misanoalso staying just half a second from the absolute record that Bautista himself set here last year (1’33.328).
Behind Toprak -who finished second, +0.329 behind Bautista thanks to his morning time-, we find the big surprise on Friday in Misano, Daniel Petrucci. The former MotoGP rider has put together a great performance on his home track, confirming that the changes introduced by Ducati to his Panigale V4 R to better adapt it to his needs work.
The member of the Barni Spark Racing Team finished third less than half a second behind Bautista, followed by what will be one of Talavera’s great rivals this weekend, his boxing neighbor Michael Rinaldifourth after seeing the checkered flag, four tenths behind Álvaro Bautista.
The best Kawasaki on Friday was the one from Alex Lowesfifth in the combined (+0.652) and far from a Jonathan Rea (9th +0.888) who does not seem to be comfortable at this start of the Misano round. The Kawasaki Racing Team duo was not present at the last test held at this circuit, and that has possibly taken its toll on them at the start of the weekend.
A late improvement takes @Petrux9 up to P2 ????#WorldSBK | #EmiliaRomagnaWorldSBK ???????? pic.twitter.com/ywHBWMVXhF
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) June 2, 2023
The top 10 of the combined on Friday have been completed Garrett Gerloff (6º +0.785), Axel Bassani (7º +0.874), Dominique Aegerter (8th +0.881), the aforementioned Rea (9th +0.888) and the Italian from the official Yamaha team, Andrea Locatelli (10th +0.905), who a few days ago confirmed his renewal with Iwata’s team for two more seasons.
Unproductive day for the Team HRC couple; xavi virgin was the best inside the Honda box with a 12th position (+1,008), while Iker Lecuona He closed the door of his garage with a discreet 15th place (+1,107) and a minor crash in the final stretch of FP2.
And another Spanish one, Tito Rabat, was reunited today with the Kawasaki Ninja of Puccetti Racing, the motorcycle that the Barcelonan will ride until the end of the year after confirming the departure of Tom Sykes. The Catalan finished the day classified in 21st position (+2,660), ahead of the also Spanish Isaac Vinales (24º +3.679), del TPR by Vinales Racing Kawasaki.
???? @LecuonaIker quickly remounts after a crash at Turn 14 ????#WorldSBK | #EmiliaRomagnaWorldSBK ???????? pic.twitter.com/xQ1nhqPOiq
— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) June 2, 2023
This Saturday, the WorldSBK riders will fight for pole position from 11:10 in the morning, and afterwards, at 2:00 p.m., Race 1 from Misano will start.
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WorldSBK Misano | FP1 & FP2
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