It was a disrupted first day of testing for the FIM Supersport World Championship during the Official Test at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit as Italian rider Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) topped the times in both Free Practice 2 and the combined times, while home hero Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) impressed with third place on home soil as he enters his second WorldSSP season. The day was interrupted by a total of five red flags across the two 1 hour and 50-minute sessions, but teams and riders were still able to get meaningful running in the time.

ITALIAN 1-2, BAYLISS STRONG: a taste of thing to come?

Bulega was the fastest rider on the day after the two sessions as he posted a 1’35.527s to top the times after the fifth red flag of the day. Both Bulega and Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) improved after the red flag with the pair briefly swapping places before Bulega cemented his place at the top. Local hero Bayliss, ahead of his second WorldSSP campaign on the Ducati Panigale V2, took third spot as he goes in search of his first WorldSSP podium after the Australian rider switched teams for the 2023 campaign.

IN THE TOP TEN: strong pace on display after Day 1

Bayliss’ time of a 1’34.103s prevented an Italian 1-2-3 after Day 1 of action in Australia with Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) in fourth place and just over a tenth behind the Australian. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the lead Kawasaki rider with fifth place, more than seven tenths down on Bulega’s pace, while Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), returning to the venue where he won his first WorldSSP race, was sixth after setting his best time of 1’34.345s in FP1, while Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was seventh.

Italian rider Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) took eighth spot after setting a 1’34.473s with De Rosa one of seven riders not to improve their time from FP1 to FP2. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) took ninth spot in the combined classification with a 1’34.792s, with his fastest time coming in FP1. Tuuli brought out the red flags with around 47 minutes left of the session after a technical issue at Turn 4, while he also had a crash at the same corner in the final 10 minutes of FP2. Debutant Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing Yamaha) took tenth overall after setting a 1’34’850s in FP2, improving his time by more than a second between FP1 and FP2.

A TIGHTLY-PACKED FIELD: competition as strong as ever in WorldSSP

Andrea Mantovani (Evan Bros. Yamaha WorldSSP Team) was 11^th as he prepares for his rookie WorldSSP campaign, while French rider Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) took 12^th place in the combined classification, after setting a 1’35.198s in FP2 with Debise improving on his FP1 time by more than half a second. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) took 13^th spot and was only a tenth behind Debise while Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was 14^th at the circuit he made his WorldSSP debut at and Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was 15^th for his first time in WorldSSP at Phillip Island. Schroetter and Navarro were separated by just 0.030s in the combined classification.

Thai rider Apiwath Wongthananon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) took 16^th place on his WorldSSP debut after setting a best time of 1’36.310s, ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) with just 0.060s separating the pair. Sofuoglu’s day was interrupted with a crash at Turn 2 around 20 minutes into FP2. Wongthananon’s teammate Anupab Sarmoon, was 18^th with Adam Norrodin (MIE-MS Racing Honda Team) in 19^th place.

A DIFFICULT OPENING DAY: British riders at the back of the field…

The three British riders had a difficult opening day of the Official Test as they took the final three positions in the order. Harry Truelove (Dynavolt Triumph) was the fastest of the trio with a 1’40.002s, set in FP2 after he found two seconds between FP1 and FP2. Tarran Mackenzie (MIE-MS Racing Honda Team) took 21^st in the combined classification after setting a 1’38.939s; Mackenzie didn’t set a time in FP2. John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) rounded out the field with a 1’43.047s with the Scottish rider not setting a time in FP1 and only completing only nine timed laps in FP2.

The top six from Day 1 of the Official Test, full results here:

1 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’33.527s

2. Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) +0.216s

3. Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) +0.576

4. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +0.715s

5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.758s

6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.818s

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