Nicolò Bulega led FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice Two (FP2) Friday afternoon at TT Assen Circuit, in the Netherlands. Riding his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R on spec Pirelli tires, the Italian rider covered the 2.83-mile (4.54 km) track in 1:33.592 to lead the field of 23 riders.
His countryman, Axel Bassani was second-best with a 1:33.844 on his bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team KB998 Rimini.
2024 WorldSuperbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu was third with a 1:33.911 on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR.
Danilo Petrucci was 8th on his Barni Spark Racing Ducati Panigale V4R with a lap time of 1:34.232.
American Garrett Gerloff was 17th with a time of 1:34.848 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bulega beats Bassani on Friday at Assen as four manufacturers finish in the top four. The #11 was the rider to beat on Friday, ahead of compatriot Axel Bassani and reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed top spot on Friday as the first day of the Pirelli Dutch Round for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded. Bulega was one of three riders to set a lap time in the 1’33s as he laid down his marker at the iconic TT Circuit Assen, finishing ahead of Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) as he secured a P2 finish. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) completed the top three.
BULEGA LEADS THE WAY: more than two tenths clear at the top
Bulega was the fastest rider on Friday as he set a 1’33.592s in FP2, a session where all riders improved their time compared to FP1, while teammate Alvaro Bautista claimed P5 and lapped around half-a-second down on the #11; with Bulega one of only three riders in the 1’33s bracket. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was an impressive P6 after posting a 1’34.135s, finishing ahead of fellow Independent Ducati riders Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in seventh and eighth. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) secured P10, 0.597s away from P1, while Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was less than a tenth away from the #45. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) was 21st after he crashed at Turn 1 in FP2, though he was able to re-join the session.
BASSANI MOVES INTO SECOND: a late improvement from ‘El Bocia’
Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) put in a late lap to surge up the order into P2 with a 1’33.844s as the lead Bimota rider, lapping two tenths slower than the pace-setting Bulega, while teammate Alex Lowes was down in 14th place with a 1’34.620s, just over a second down on the fastest time of the day.
RAZGATLIOGLU P3: three tenths from P1
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had been running in the top two until Bassani’s lap, but still finished the day in P3 with a 1’33.911s. At one point, both ‘El Turco’ and ‘Bulegas’ had set this lap time to tie for P1, with Bulega ahead due to his second fastest lap, before the #11 improved further. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished in ninth with the Dutchman putting in a late lap to improve on his FP1 time. He finished with a 1’34.630s.
FOUR MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP FOUR: Locatelli leads Yamaha charge
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) topped two sectors in FP2 as he set the fourth fastest lap time with a 1’34.014s, with ‘Loka’ the only Yamaha in the top ten after their strong start in FP1 where three featured. GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner were 12th and 13th respectively, while Tito Rabat (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) and Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) were 18th and 20th respectively. Jason O’Halloran, continuing to stand in for Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha), was 21st.
TECH ISSUES FOR VIERGE: difficult day for the #97
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) was the lead Honda rider on Friday despite technical gremlins in FP1. He was only able to set one lap time in the morning session, after two technical issues at Turn 5, but responded in FP2 with a 1’34.715s. Teammate Iker Lecuona was 19th while, with Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) three places ahead of the #7 after the #97 posted a 1’34.787s. Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) rounded out the WorldSBK field.
GRAVEL TRIP FOR GERLOFF: P17 for the sole Kawasaki rider
Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) was 17th after an eventful day for the American. He had a trip through the gravel at the last chicane as several riders went through the complex, though he set a 1’34.848s to claim P17 as the sole Kawasaki rider on the grid.
The top six from Friday’s WorldSBK running, full results here:
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’33.592s
2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.252s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.319s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.422s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.433s
6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.543s
Don’t miss Saturday’s action from 09:00 Local Time (UTC+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!