After yesterday’s thrilling action at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit for the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) topping the timesheets. The session was slightly impacted by rain towards the start and end of the session although the track did remain predominantly dry throughout as riders got some vital track time ahead of the Tissot Superpole Race.

Bautista set several laps in the 1’29s bracket with his best time a 1’29.798s to finish three tenths clear of 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in second. Bautista was the only rider in the 1’29s bracket during the 15-minute session after Razgatlioglu set a 1’30.120s while his teammate, Andrea Locatelli, continued his strong Australian Round form with third place, seven tenths downs on Bautista.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took fourth spot after posting a 1’30.611s during Warm Up, finishing three tenths clear of Spanish rider Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) who was the fastest Honda rider on track. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) has shown strong pace throughout both the Official Test and the Australian Round and he continued that with sixth spot in Warm Up.

Positions seven to nine were filled up by rookies. Home hero Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) took seventh spot, almost matching Lecuona’s time, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in eighth spot. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who will start the Tissot Superpole Race from the front row, claimed ninth spot with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in tenth.

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

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’29.798s

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.322

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.768

4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.813s

5. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +1.110

6. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) +1.160s

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