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Rinaldi pips Rea in WorldSBK Warm Up, all five manufacturers in the top six

Sunday, 31 July 2022 07:29 GMT

    • The Italian set the pace in the first session on Sunday with just 0.062s separating Rinaldi and Rea at the top of the standings

    Sunday’s MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship kicked off with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) going fastest at the Autodrom Most, with all five manufacturers competing in 2022 inside the top six after the 15-minute session. Rinaldi, who starts the Tissot Superpole Race from the front row for the Prosecco DOC Czech Round, was just 0.062s clear of his rivals.

    The Ducati rider posted a best time of 1’31.650s to go fastest in the Warm Up session, with six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finishing second after setting a best time of 1’37.712s. Both Rinaldi and Rea were the only riders in the 1’31.6s bracket. Reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) claimed third place in Warm Up. The top three in Warm Up will make up the front row for the Superpole Race.

    Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) put in a late lap to move into fourth place, ahead of Race 1 podium finisher Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in fifth place, around half-a-second down on Rinaldi’s time. Spanish rookie Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) completed the top six, ensuring all five manufacturers on the 2022 grid finished inside the top six. Until Bautista’s late lap, it had been all five manufacturers in the top five.

    Independent rider Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) claimed seventh place as he goes in search of more top-ten finishes, finishing around two tenths clear of Yamaha duo Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) and Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in eight and ninth respectively. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) rounded out the top ten.

    Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was one of two riders who did not set a lap time in Warm Up, alongside wildcard Michal Prasek (Rohac & Fejta Motoracing).

    The top six from WorldSBK Warm Up, full results here:

    1 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’31.650s

    2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.062s

    3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.361s

    4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.467s

    5. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.482s

    6. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.717s

    Watch WorldSBK racing action from 11:00 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!