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Bautista pips Lecuona in FP3 at Misano as temperatures rise, Oettl impresses

Saturday, 11 June 2022 07:45 GMT

    • It was a Spanish 1-2 as Championship leader Bautista just edged out rookie Iker Lecuona to top spot

    The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship roared into action on Saturday at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in Italy, as the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round ignites. Holding on to first place following on from Friday, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was once again the rider to beat as he aims to put Ducati on top, whilst track temperatures rising meant a shaken-up order in FP3.

    Maintaining his pace from Friday afternoon, warmer temperatures saw Alvaro Bautista continue to lead the way at Misano, getting down to a 1’33.721 with his final flying lap of the session. He was only 0.074s quicker than his fellow countryman Iker Lecuona (Team HRC), with the Honda rookie putting in a stunning session to really show how competitive he is this weekend. Numerous fast laps, Lecuona is a dark horse going into the remainder of the weekend. Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) once again shone and was top Independent in third, ahead of reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and home-hero Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who took top Italian honours.

    Outside the top five in FP3, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was only sixth, and spent much of the first part of the session in the box, although he held on to fifth on the combined times. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) was seventh, ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), who made it two Hondas inside the top eight. Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was ninth, a place ahead of Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), just over seven tenths behind Bautista at the front. Shocks outside the top ten included Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in 12th, one place ahead of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) seemed to have an issue at Turn 8 but was able to go 11th.

    Top six after WorldSBK FP3, full results here:

    1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’33.721

    2. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.074s

    3. Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) +0.250s

    4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.256s

    5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +0.416s

    6. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.549s

    Watch the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED with the WorldSBK VideoPass!