FIM Supersport World Championship action continued on Friday and there was a familiar name at the top of the timesheets as Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) topped the day’s running after two Free Practice sessions. The WorldSSP rookie’s time of 1’54.308, set in Free Practice 2, was enough to top the timesheets.

Locatelli was not the only rider to improve in the second practice session with Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) also making a step forward in terms of lap time as he finished second overall, but almost seven tenths down on Locatelli’s time. The Frenchman will be hoping he can challenge Locatelli in Tissot Superpole and both races as he did in the early stages of racing in Portimao. Cluzel’s teammate, Corentin Perolari, finished the day in tenth place.

Hannes Soomer’s (Kallio Racing) continued to show impressive pace on Friday and finished the day classified in third place; his time of 1’55.149 from Free Practice 1 enough to be third overall. Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) also showed strong pace with fourth overall as the team look to mount a challenge at the top of the field.

Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) finished the day in fifth place as he was ahead of Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse); the sole MV representative in the top 10 with his time of 1’55.774, the Italian looking to continue his form after picking up his first podium of the season in Portimao. Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) was seventh overall, just ahead of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in eighth.

Danny Webb (WRP Wepol Racing) finished in ninth after both practice sessions; Hikari Okubo (Dynavolt Honda) ending up just outside the top ten in 11th. Steven Odendaal (EAB Ten Kate Racing) finished in 12^th overall for the day with Hungarian rider Peter Sebestyen (OXXO Yamaha Team Toth) in 13^th.

Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) was 14th after Friday running with Alejandro Carranza Ruiz (EMPERADOR Racing Team) in 15th place; as the highest place WorldSSP Challenge rider, finishing just ahead of Axel Bassani (Soradis Yamaha Motoxracing). Turkish sensation Can Öncü (Turkish Racing Team) finished in 16^th place with Loris Cresson (OXXO Yamaha Team Toth) finished the day in 22nd place.

Top six after Friday’s WorldSSP running, full results here:

1.) Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)

2.) Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.679

3.) Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) +0.841

4.) Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) +0.921

5.) Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +1.212

6.) Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +1.325

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