Alvaro Bautista was quickest during FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice 1 Friday morning at TT Assen Circuit, in the Netherlands. Riding his Pirelli-shod Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R on the 2.83-mile (4.54 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:34.365 to lead the field of 23 riders.
2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu was the best of the rest with a 1:34.467 on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.
Rookie and Bautista’s teammate, Nicolo Bulega was third-fastest with a 1:34.637.
Danilo Petrucci crossed the finish line 9th with a lap time of 1:35.095 on his Barni Spark Racing Ducati Panigale V4R.
American Garrett Gerloff finished the opening session in 12th with a 1:35.319 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bautista leads Razgatlioglu and Bulega in FP1 at Assen, 12 riders within a second. The #19 was the rider to beat as the Dutch Round kicked off with an incredibly close FP1.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) laid down a marker at the TT Circuit Assen at the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship kicked off its Pirelli Dutch Round. The Spaniard secured first place ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and teammate Nicolo Bulega in Free Practice 1, with the top five separated by 0.500s and the top 12 less than a second apart.
Bautista had a strong start to his round as he posted some consistent lap times as well as fast. His best time was a 1’34.365s to lead reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) by just a tenth of a second in the 45-minute session, with ‘El Turco’, like Bautista, both fast and consistent. Third place belonged to Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with a 1’34.640s, as just three tenths separated by three tenths in a close start to the weekend.
Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) was fourth as he posted a 1’34.670s to missing out on a top three spot by just a tenth, while Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was fifth as the lead Yamaha rider. The #77 was exactly half-a-second down on Bautista’s P1 time, while he was less than a tenth clear of homo hero Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in sixth.
Portimao podium finisher Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was seventh as he lapped 0.010s slower than van der Mark ahead, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in eighth as three Yamaha riders secured a place in the top eight. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was ninth with Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) completing the top ten as the lead Bimota rider, less than a second away from P1. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) followed in 11th and 12th, with both riders also within a second of Bautista.
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) did not have a productive FP1 session, completing just one timed lap before a technical issue struck his CBR1000RR-R. He had set a 1’38.160s but with the times dropping rapidly, the #97 was left languishing down in P22 after the issue which struck him at Turn 5 on his second flying lap. He did return to the track with around 16 minutes to go, but he suffered a technical issue at Turn 5 again.
The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’34.365s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.102s
3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.272s
4. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) +0.395s
5. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.500s
6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.571s
Don’t miss FP2 from Assen at 15:00 Local Time (UTC+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!