Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) started the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round by topping Free Practice 1 as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action kicked off. ‘El Turco’ set a 1’33.031s to claim P1 ahead of title rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, with around two tenths separating the pair at the end of the 45-minute session.

Both Razgatlioglu and Bulega had been fast at the test a couple of weeks prior and that continued in FP1 as they secured the top two positions. They traded fastest sectors throughout the whole session, before the #1 claimed P1 by 0.226s, with Bulega setting a 1’33.257s as he secured P2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) had a strong start to the weekend as he rounded out the top three with a 1’33.372s, 0.341s down on Razgatlioglu.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was the lead Yamaha rider in FP1 as he took fourth place, continuing his strong form from the test, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in the top five; less than a tenth behind the #87 directly ahead. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was immediately in the top six as he goes in search of a home rostrum, with ‘El Bocia’ setting a 1’33.990s.

Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) was seventh as he led Honda’s charge with a 1’33.890s, finishing ahead of Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) with the Brit claiming eighth place with a 1’33.910s. He was 0.879s away from Razgatlioglu’s pacesetting time. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) put in a late lap to move into the top nine, with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) rounding out the top ten.

Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) had a disrupted session after he crashed at Turn 1 in the first 10 minutes of FP1, losing valuable running time. He did return to the track towards the end of the session, but crashed on his final lap at Turn 15 as the session ended, he was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash and was declared fit. Elsewhere, Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) only completed six laps after an electrical issue confined him to his box for a large part of the session. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was 11^th but his session ended early after he crashed at Turn 1.

The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’33.031s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’33.257s

3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’33.372s

4. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’33.669s

5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’33.731s

6. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 1’33.880s

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