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Razgatlioglu leads BMW 1-2 with Gerloff second in WorldSBK Free Practice 1, Lecuona puts Honda P5

Friday, 9 August 2024 13:20 GMT

    • The Turkish star was the only rider in the 1’40s bracket as he claimed top spot at Portimao, while it was a strong session for Honda as they finished in the top five

    The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship had a familiar name at the top as Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) flew into P1 during Free Practice 1 at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The 2021 Champion was the only rider to break the 1’40s barrier as he beat Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) into second place, with the #31 ensuring a BMW 1-2 to start the Pirelli Portuguese Round.

    Gerloff started the session with a long run, completing 15 timed laps before returning to the box, and put in a fast and consistent stint. He was fast through the run as he set a 1’41.168s. However, his time in P1 came to an end when Championship leader Razgatlioglu surged almost four tenths clear with a 1’40.777s, the first rider into the 1’40s, to claim top spot and continue his streak of topping Free Practice 1 sessions – he’s topped every single one except for the Australian Round. Third belonged to reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) as he set a 1’41.299s, although he was just over half-a-second down on the #54.

    Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was quick out of the blocks as he took the early honours, although he was demoted to P4 at the end of the 45-minute session after he posted a 1’41.307s. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) left it late to move up the order, slotting into fifth place with a 1’41.430s, just around 0.020s clear of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in sixth. The #65 posted a 1’41.449s to end the session as the lead Yamaha rider.

    Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was seventh and around three tenths off his teammate directly ahead. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) claimed eighth place, 0.996s off Razgatlioglu’s time, with Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in ninth. The Dutchman crashed at Turn 14 around halfway through the session, but he was able to claim ninth, ahead of Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who completed the top ten.

    Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was another crasher in FP1, when he came down at Turn 8 on a wider line. He lost time while his bike was returned to the box but he finished in 16th place with a 1’42.302s. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) completed only one timed lap, more than four seconds off the pace, after he suffered a technical issue on his Panigale V4 R. Although the bike was returned to the box, the #11 was unable to take to the track again.

    The top six from WorldSBK Free Practice 1, full results here:

    1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’40.777s

    2. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +0.391s

    3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.522s

    4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.530s

    5. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.653s

    6. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.672s

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