Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) led the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship on Friday at the Cremona Circuit by more than two tenths ahead of teammate Nicolo Bulega, who can wrap up the title on home soil this weekend, but it was a dramatic day for the #11 after he crashed twice. Rookie Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) claimed third as he looks for a maiden WorldSBK rostrum at the EICMA Italian Round.

QUICK BUT CRASHES AT DUCATI…

Lecuona topped both Free Practice 1 and 2 on Friday to hold the advantage over the field after the first two sessions of the weekend, posting a 1’28.108s to claim P1 on the combined classification. Teammate Bulega was directly behind him on the timesheets with a 1’28.362s, but it was a damaging day for the #11. Bulega had a crash in FP1 at Turn 10, before a second crash of the day at Turn 8 in FP2. On both occasions, he walked away from the fall. Third place belonged to rookie Surra, with the #67 putting in a 1’28.569s on his last lap in FP2. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) was third in FP1 but Surra’s time demoted him to fourth on the combined classification. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), like ‘Balda’, didn’t improve his time in FP2 but finished fifth overall with a 1’28.752s, ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team). The #5 had two crashes on Friday – at Turn 13 in FP1 and Turn 1 in FP2 – and was able to claim sixth overall. Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) rounded out the top seven with a 1’28.868s, set in FP2. Alvaro Bautista (Barni Spark Racing Team) finished outside the top ten in 11^th, while Loris Baz (MGM Optical Express Racing), standing in for Tarran Mackenzie, was 20^th.

STRONG START FOR GERLOFF

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) will be looking to give Manuel Puccetti a strong result at the team’s home round and he started the weekend inside the top ten when he posted a 1’28.913s in the final five minutes of FP2, putting him eighth on the combined classification.

ALEX LOWES IN THE TOP TEN BUT CRASHES

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) had limited running in Free Practice 2 after he had a crash just after FP2 resumed following a red flag at Turn 6, with his bike back into the pit lane around halfway through the session. The #22 finished as the lead Bimota rider in tenth on the combined classification with a 1’28.950s. Teammate Axel Bassani was two places behind the Brit as he claimed 12th with a 1’20.097s.

OLIVEIRA RETURNS TO THE TOP TEN

BMW were aiming to bounce back from two difficult rounds at Donington Park and Magny-Cours, and the signs were positive on Friday. Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was inside the top ten in FP2 with a 1’28.922s – his best time of the day – which put him ninth on the combined classification. The German manufacturer have worked on the ergonomics of the bike for the #88 to help give him confidence. On the other side of the box, Danilo Petrucci set a 1’30.017s as his best time, finishing second last, in 21^st, on the combined classification.

YAMAHA AIMING FOR MORE

Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) set a 1’29:1.94s in FP1 to lead the Yamaha charge, but his FP2 session ended slightly early when he crashed at Turn 11 in the last four minutes. He was 13^th on the combined times. Stefano Manzi (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 15^th as he prepares for his home round, setting a 1’29.275s, beating teammate Remy Gardner by less than a tenth. The #87 had a crash at the start of FP2 at Turn 2, which briefly brought out the red flags to clear gravel from the track, meaning he didn’t set a time in the afternoon session. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was 18^th with a 1’29.584s, with Mattia Rato (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) in 19^th. Rato’s teammate for the final three rounds, Twan Smits, was last on the timesheets.

DIXON LEADS HONDA CHARGE BUT FALLS IN FP2

Jake Dixon (Honda HRC) set a 1’29.217s in FP2 to finish in 14^th overall, with the #96 often in or around the top ten at various points during the two Free Practice sessions, although he did have a crash with two minutes remaining in Free Practice 2 at Turn 2. Teammate Somkiat Chantra finished the day in 17^th place, just over a tenth behind Dixon but with two Yamaha riders between them.

The top six from WorldSBK’s Friday action, full results here:

1. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’28.108s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.254s
3. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +0.461s
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.474s
5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.644s
6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.739s

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