A new track surface, heat and humidity welcomed the 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit on Lombok Island, Indonesia. The Pirelli Indonesian Round could be a Championship-decider, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) staring down the barrel of a first WorldSBK title, up for grabs in Race 1. However, it was reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) who laid down an early benchmark.

On the pace from the start of the session at the track where he clinched the 2021 title, Razgatlioglu set a 1’36.938s, some four seconds off last year’s pole time but with a new track surface, Friday was always going to be more of a day of discovery. With a late charge to the top positions, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) took his Honda – which had a new item on the bike and with more parameters for adjustment – to second place. Bautista concluded FP1 in third place, ahead of Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who enjoyed one of his best Friday mornings of the year and made it four manufacturers inside the top four. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) made it two Hondas inside the top five as he took fifth.

In sixth place, the second factory Yamaha with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who had a quiet FP1 in seventh. P8 was occupied by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the Ulsterman having a slow start to his day, as all riders got used to the track surface and conditions. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was ninth, whilst there was a big surprise in tenth with WorldSBK debutant Kyle Smith (TPR Team Pedercini Racing). He was just ahead of the second factory Kawasaki of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who made it four Brits packed together from P8 to P11.

Outside of the leading riders, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) was only 14^th, whilst Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) was P15 having been inside the top ten for part of the session. Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was only 16^th, with Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) one place behind and Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) another place back.

Top six after WorldSBK FP1 at Mandalika, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 1’36.938s

2. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.189s

3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.571s

4. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.781s

5. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +0.944s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.975s

Watch WorldSBK action unfold in style in 2022’s final rounds with the WorldSBK VideoPass!