Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) topped the timesheets on Friday at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, Andalucia as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s final round of the year kicked off in Spain. Bulega didn’t have Friday all his own way after hitting technical trouble in Free Practice 2 as he claimed top spot ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) at the Pirelli Spanish Round.

P1 DESPITE TECH PROBLEMS: A mixed day for Bulega

Bulega was the fastest rider on Friday thanks to his FP1 time of 1’35.587s, but his day was interrupted by technical problems that he suffered in FP2. He was told about them by Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) and left the track, eventually getting his bike back to the pits for repairs to fix a water leak. He returned to the track with around 18 minutes remaining in the 45-minute session. He improved his time in the final six minutes of FP2 to a 1’38.698s, and then a 1’38.668s, although not faster than his FP1 time. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was the second-fastest Ducati with a 1’38.866s he set in FP2, giving him third overall, while Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) was the third fastest rider on the Panigale V4R thanks to a 1’39.028s from FP1. In the second session, ‘The Maniac’ crashed at Turn 11, although was able to re-join the session in the final 15 minutes to take fifth overall.

Rookies Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) showed good speed on Friday to claim seventh and eighth respectively, with Vickers leaving it late to claim fifth in FP2 with a 1’39.339s. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was left languishing out of the top ten as he finished in 12^th place, with Tarran Mackenzie (MGM BONOVO Action) in 17^th. Wildcard Lukas Tulovic (Team Triple M Ducati Frankfurt) was 20^th; he had a crash in FP1, as did Nicholas Spinelli (Barni Spark Racing Team) who finished in 23^rd.

RAZGATLIOGLU ON THE BACK FOOT? P2 overall, fourth in FP2…

Razgatlioglu was the second-fastest rider in the combined classification although he struggled in FP2, finishing fourth in the afternoon session as he looks to wrap up his third title before he departs for MotoGP; he did not complete his customary race pace simulation in the afternoon session, instead completing three shorter stints. His best time was a 1’39.139s in FP2, and 1’38.675s overall. Teammate Michael van der Mark rounded out the top ten with a 1’39.561s that he set in Free Practice 2.

VIERGE FOURTH OVERALL: A good start to Friday for the #97

Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) finished inside the top three in FP1 after a brilliant start to his final weekend in Honda red, as he led the Japanese manufacturer’s charge in Spain, finishing fourth on the combined timesheets with a 1’39.009s that he set in the opening session. Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) did improve his lap time in FP2 by a tenth to set a 1’39.715s, which gave him 15^th on Friday. Tito Rabat (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) was 21^st while Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) rounded out the 25-strong field.

ALEX LOWES SIXTH FOR BIMOTA: #22 comfortably in the top ten

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) is aiming to end Bimota’s first season back in WorldSBK on a high and finished sixth on Friday after setting a 1’39.205s, with the #22’s best lap time coming in FP1. Teammate Axel Bassani had been running in the top ten but finished down in 13^th place.

LOCATELLI NINTH, REA 11^TH: More to come from Yamaha?

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was the fastest of the Yamaha riders on the opening day of the Jerez action in ninth after setting a 1’39.514s in FP2. Teammate Jonathan Rea completed his final Friday as a full-time WorldSBK rider in 11^th. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was three places behind the six-time World Champion while Alessandro Delbianco, standing in for Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), was 18^th. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was 19^th while teammate Michael Rinaldi was 22^nd; the Italian had a crash at Turn 11 and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up where he was declared fit. Wildcard Bobby Fong (Attack Performance Yamaha Racing) was 24^th.

GERLOFF AIMING FOR MORE: 16^th on Friday

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) finished the day in 16^th place as the sole Kawasaki rider on the grid, setting a 1’39.737s which he set in FP1, with the Texan unable to improve his time in the afternoon session.

The top six from WorldSBK on Friday, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’38.668s
2. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.198s
3. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) +0.406s
4. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.471s
5. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) +0.671s
6. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.834s

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