Rookie Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) showed impressive speed on Day 1 of the Official Test for the FIM Supersport World Championship as he topped the day’s running. Both sessions were disrupted by several red flags which limited running, but the Dutchman was able to claim top spot for the day at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit ahead of Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) with a big margin of seven tenths between the pair.

BENDSNEYDER LEADS THE WAY: a strong start for the Dutchman

MV Agusta star Bendsneyder competed in the final two rounds of the 2024 season with his current team and secured a full-time seat for 2025 with a podium finish, and the Dutchman is now kicking on from that. A 1’32.127s was his best time, set in FP1, as he claimed Day 1 honours at the Official Test by finishing exactly 0.700s ahead of Oettl. The German rider, returning to the Championship after three seasons in WorldSBK, took P2 with a 1’32.827s and led the Ducati charge on Day 1. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) was the top rider who improved in FP2, setting a 1’33.007s to claim P2 in the afternoon session and third overall.

ROOKIES IMPRESSES: Schroetter fourth, Masia claims P5 with Farioli P6

Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) was one of a heap of riders in the 1’33s bracket during FP2 as he improved his time compared to FP1 with the German rider taking fourth overall, ahead of rookie Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) who showed strong potential on Day 1. The 2023 Moto3™ World Champion was third in FP1 and fifth overall after he posted a 1’33.176s during the opening session of the day on his Ducati Panigale V2. Filippo Farioli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) also had a strong day despite causing two red flags as the Italian rider claimed sixth place. His 1’33.231s from FP1 secured the position but he had a technical issue in FP1 and a crash at Turn 2 which brought out the red flags, before a technical issue in FP2 left oil on the track at Turn 12 which, again, necessitated the red flags.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP TEN: Mahias leads Yamaha charge, Caricasulo P10 despite crash

Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) was the lead Yamaha rider on Day 1 as the Yamaha R9 machine rolled out against its competition, with the 2017 Champion taking seventh place after setting 1’33.240s in FP1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) was just 0.021s behind as he took eighth place, although he had a crash at Turn 6, ahead of Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) in ninth, despite a Turn 10 spill, and Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME air Racing) in tenth. The Italian crashed at Turn 12 towards the end of FP2 which brought out the red flags, while ‘Carica’ was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the incident. The #64 was subsequently declared unfit with a right wrist distal radius fracture and facial trauma.

TO NOTE: a disrupted day Down Under…

There were several red flags across the two sessions which were each 1 hour 50 minutes in length. The second in FP1, after Farioli’s crash, was after Simon Jespersen (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) crashed at Turn 2, bringing out the red flags and ending the session early as there were just four minutes on the clock. In FP2, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) had a crash at Turn 7 while rookie Aldi Mahendra (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) fell at Turn 4 but re-joined the action. At Turn 12, three riders went down as Kaito Toba (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing), Glenn van Straalen (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team) and Yuki Okamoto (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) fell with the latter two taken to the medical centre for a check-up. Van Straalen was declared unfit due to concussion, while, Okamoto was ruled out of action with a coccygeal fracture and dislocation.

The top six from Day 1 of the Official Test in WorldSSP, full results here:

1. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 1’32.127s, 38 laps

2. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.700s, 54 laps

3. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +0.880s, 39 laps

4. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +1.004s, 38 laps

5. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +1.049s, 43 laps

6. Filippo Farioli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.104s, 31 laps

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