World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was Friday’s sharpest rider in the WorldSSP class as he went round the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in 1’39.102, in the afternoon FP2 session. Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) and PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) were also in the top three.

Sofuoglu’s best time put him +0.156s ahead of Briton Rea and +0.205s in front of third placed American Jacobsen. But it was not all plain sailing for Turkish rider Sofuoglu who lost some time in the morning session due to an engine problem and then crashed at Turn 8 in the final ten minutes of the FP2 session.

Behind the top three, Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) were also in a tightly packed top five split by just 0.274s.

A fraction adrift of Caricasulo, meanwhile, was his compatriot Christian Gamarino (BARDAHL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing) in sixth. Then in seventh place on the Triumph was Profile Racing rider Luke Stapleford.

Axel Bassani (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI), championship leader Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) and Anthony West (West Racing)completed the list of ten riders going straight into Tissot Superpole 2 on Saturday. In the morning FP1 run Caricasulo, Mahias and Cluzel were the top three riders on track.

At the #RiminiWorldSBK round on Saturday the WorldSSP action commences at 9.20am local time with FP3, with SP1 at 2pm and SP2 at 2.25pm.