The Friday action was electric in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto as Turkish star Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) topped the day’s running after going fastest in both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 for the Motul Spanish Round, starting the weekend as strongly as possible.

SOFUOGLU ON TOP

After a strong weekend at the Catalunya Round, Sofuoglu came into the Spanish Round full of confidence and it showed as he took honours in both FP1 and FP2, posting a best time of 1’52.629s, the only rider in the 1’52s bracket, in the morning session to top that session with his Free Practice 2 time slower, but enough to top the second 30-minute session by over half-a-second. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) was in second place as the lead Kawasaki rider, finishing three tenths clear of Yeray Ruiz (Yamaha MS Racing) who had a dramatic morning session with a peculiar fairing failure.

BUIS LEADS A CLOSE CHASING PACK

Reigning Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) led a pack of 23 riders inside a second from fourth downwards as he finished in fourth place despite a trip through the gravel at Turn 5 in FP2, just 0.020s of Dean Berta Viñales (Viñales Racing Team) in fifth place as the Spanish teenager continued making progress after a breakthrough weekend in France. Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) rounded out the top six, just 0.018s behind Viñales.

Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki) claimed seventh place with a 1’53.597s, around one second off Sofuoglu’s pace, as he looked to return to the podium. In eighth was Inigo Iglesias (SMW Racing), the first rider who improved their time in Free Practice 2, as he finished second in the afternoon session. Ton Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) was another who improved in FP2 as he took ninth place in the combined classification, and fourth in FP2. Dutch rider Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki) rounded out the top ten with his Free Practice 1 time as he posted a 1’53.773s.

MID-PACK FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER…

Gabriele Mastroluca (ProGP Racing) was in 11^th place ahead of Alfonso Coppola (Team Trasimeno) with Championship leader Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) only 13^th in the combined classification at the start of the weekend he can clinch his first World Championship title. Meikon Kawakami (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) was in 14^th place with South African rider Dorren Louriero (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) rounding out the top 15.

Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) was in 16^th place in the combined standings with Marc Garcia (Prodina Team WorldSSP300) in 17^th; Garcia had a crash at Turn 2 in Free Practice 1 when he was forced onto the gravel. Oliver König (Movisio by MIE) in 18^th place, with Bruno Ieraci (Prodina Team WorldSSP300) in 19^th on his return despite an FP1 crash at Turn 9. Uruguayan rider Facundo (Machado CAME SBK) rounded out the top 20.

TO NOTE

Antonio Frappola (Chiodo Moto Racing) had a crash at Turn 6 in the early stages of the afternoon FP2 session and didn’t set a lap time in the afternoon, although he was able to take his bike back to the pits. Victor Rodriguez Nuñez (Machado CAME SBK) went through the gravel at Turn 1 in FP2 but finished in 31^st in the combined classification, while Alex Millan Gomez (2R Racing) had a technical issue in FP2 when the chain came off his bike but he was able to claim 34^th in the combined standings. Petr Svoboda (WRP Wepol Racing) crash in FP1 at Turn 1 and finished in 35^th place, while Alejandro Carrion (Kawasaki GP Project) was 25^th after a Turn 13 crash in FP1.

The top six following Friday’s WorldSSP300 action, full results here:

1 Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) 1’52.629s

2. Jose Perez Luis Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) +0.554s

3. Yeray Ruiz (Yamaha MS Racing) +0.820s

4. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.907s

5. Dean Berta Viñales (Viñales Racing Team) +0.927s

6. Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) +0.945s

Make sure you watch Tissot Superpole in style on Saturday at 09:45 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!