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Razgatlioglu pips 2022 Champion Bautista by just 0.058s on first morning of Jerez test, Petrucci fourth

Wednesday, 25 January 2023 13:28 GMT

    • The last two WorldSBK Champions were fastest after the first four hours on Day 1 of testing in southern Spain

    Testing in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2023 got underway at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto on Wednesday as 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) edged out reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista by under a tenth of a second at 14:00 Local Time (GMT+1), the halfway point of the day’s running. Track action was limited in the first 90 minutes of the day with cold weather meaning riders kept to the box.

    Razgatlioglu’s fastest time was 1’39.587s from the morning session as he topped the times by just 0.058s ahead of Bautista. Bautista, using both the 2022 and 2023 bikes during the session, posted a 1’39.645s for second as he completed the most laps of anyone in WorldSBK. He was ahead of teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi in third place, while rookie Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was fourth after his first run in WorldSBK; Petrucci starting with the 2022 bike. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) rounded out the top five with a 1’40.350s, seventh tenths down on Razgatlioglu’s time, before being overhauled by Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK) at the halfway stage.

    Petrucci was the highest-placed rookie in fourth spot, lapping just over half-a-second slower than Razgatlioglu. GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK pairing Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner were 11th and 14th respectively, while Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) was 16th on his, and the team’s, first outing in WorldSBK. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was 12th for his new team as he ran in dry conditions for the first time on the M 1000 RR.

    In WorldSSP, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba WorldSSP Racing Team) was top in WorldSSP at the halfway stage of the session, posting a 1’43.234s to go faster than Kawasaki duo Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki). Oncu, who has four bikes to test throughout the two days, posted a 1’43.797s to take second while Huertas lapped only two tenths slower than the Turkish star. Rookie Andrea Mantovani (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was fourth fastest in class as he adjusts to new surroundings.

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