Round six of the FIM Supersport World Championship is underway at the Autodrom Most as the Prosecco DOC Czech Round readies for more close racing. With World Supersport’s 300^th race due for Race 1, it’s an iconic weekend for the class and action was fierce on Friday morning. Leading the way was Championship leader Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) who set a lap time of 1’35.216 in the closing stages, just missing out on setting a new lap record.

2021 Most Race 2 winner Dominique Aegerter is going in search of a tenth consecutive win this weekend, which would be a record in the class. The Championship leader improved his time on his final lap to go to the top by just less than a tenth of second, missing out on a new lap record by just 0.003s. ‘Iron Balda’ Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. Yamaha WorldSSP Team) was in mighty form and the Italian got down to a lap time which would have put him right up the sharp end last year. Having never seen the track before, it was an impressive FP1 for the rookie, who looks to claw points back in the Championship this weekend, starting his weekend in second place, having led for most of the session. Third place went to Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) with the Frenchman more than four tenths away from the top time, whilst his teammate this weekend, Valentin Debise, too fourth, a further half a tenth down – he’s replacing the injured Jules Cluzel. After the four Yamahas, the first Ducati of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP) in fifth on his Most debut.

Behind the leading five, two more Ducatis. The first was Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) who continues his search for a first podium of the 2022 season, whilst having achieved his first podium of the year last time out, Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was back in the mix once more in seventh. 2022’s revelation Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) had a quiet Friday morning in eighth place, ahead of the Triumph of Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) and then rookie Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) in tenth.

Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was only 11^th, ahead of the returning Steven Odendaal (Kallio Racing) in 12^th and home-hero Ondrej Vostatek (MS Racing Yamaha WorldSSP) in 13^th. Vostatek’s teammate Unai Orradre suffered a crash in the closing stages of the session but was OK. On his return to action for the first time since he had toes amputated after a crash at Estoril, the determined Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was 16^th.

Top six after WorldSSP FP1 at Most, full results here:

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 1’35.216s

2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +0.074s

3. Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.405s

4. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.451s

5. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.470s

6. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) +0.491s

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