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Petrucci powers to top spot at Aragon with race lap record pace

Wednesday, 30 August 2023 11:28 GMT

    • Lap times improved dramatically on the second morning at Aragon as teams and riders worked on their bikes during the final day of testing

    Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was under race lap record pace at MotorLand Aragon as the lap times dropped considerably on the second and final morning of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship testing. The Italian rider went two tenths quicker than the race lap record set last year by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), while the #9 finished around three tenths clear of his rivals at the end of the first four-hour session.

    Petrucci’s best lap of the morning came on his 26th lap, out of 27, when he set a 1’49.168s. It is comfortably the fastest time of the two-day test so far with the #9 lapping almost three tenths clear of anyone else, while it was around two tenths faster than Razgatlioglu’s race lap record of 1’49.375 set in last year’s Tissot Superpole Race. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) continued showing his rapid pace at Aragon as he took second place with a 1’49.466s while reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third after finding more speed compared to yesterday. Lecuona and Bautista were the busiest riders on track in the morning, completing 58 and 56 laps respectively.

    Bautista was directly ahead of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in fourth, with the six-time Champion testing for the first time during the two-day test. He posted a best of 1’49.939s to secure fourth place, with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) taking fifth place after lapping two tenths slower than the #65. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) once again ensured two Hondas were at the top of the timesheets as he rounded out the top six.

    Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) continued his excellent test as he stayed as the lead BMW rider in seventh, lapping Aragon in 1’50.557s. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took eighth as he split his programme across three ZX-10RR machines with the Brit posting a 1’50.600s. He was ahead of BMW trio Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team duo of Michael van der Mark and Scott Redding. Only two tenths separated the three BMW riders. Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) rounded out the WorldSBK riders as he posted a 1’51.588s.

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    Photo credits: LZ Photos Media