The opening 45 minute free practice session ahead of Sunday two WorldSBK races was headed by Max Biaggi. As expected, having tested at the Sepang International circuit recently, the former champion set the pace from the start, the Aprilia Racing Team rider more than a second clear of the field in the early stages. By half distance the gap was still more than 6 tenths of a second of a second as Biaggi’s lap time of 2.04.823s stood firm.

Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini SBK Team) was the first to post a timed lap with championship leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and WorldSBK debutant Alex Phillis on the second of the Grillini Kawasaki machines the final two riders to leave their respective boxes.

As the session progressed Laguna Seca double winner Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team), and the Kawasaki Racing Team pairing of Tom Sykes and Jonathan Rea moved into the top 4 with Davies closing the gap to the top spot to 0.149s at the end of the 45 minute session.

Rea eventually got the better of Sykes with Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and team mate Jordi Torres both improving in the final moments.

Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) was demoted to 7^th after Torres’s last lap improvement, the British rider finished a tenth of a second ahead of Randy de Puniet who was 8^th.

Pata Honda had a solid opening session with reigning World Champion Sylvain Guintoli and current WSS champ Michael vd Mark 9^th and 10^th respectively.

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia), Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven), Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing), David Salom (Team Pedercini) and Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing) completed the top ten.

Italian Davide Giugliano is absent this weekend, the #34 will also not return to racing action until 2016. The team had on display his Panigale machine with the initials GWS (Get Well Soon), a nice touch from the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team.

FP2 will take place at 1500 local time.