Gordon Ritchie | September 15, 2017
Rea Miles Ahead After Portuguese WorldSBK Day One
Rea left them all for dead on Friday.
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) conquered the first day of Portimao free practice despite the bumpy track and windy conditions that faced the WorldSBK riders in Portugal today.
Rea had been fastest in the morning session and went even quicker in the afternoon with a 1:42.621, ending up over half a second quicker than the next best rider.
Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was second quickest and his team-mate Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) third.
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) continued his forward momentum with the fourth best time, heading off the might of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), who was one of the few riders to not improve on their morning times this afternoon.
Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) was sixth, and best Aprilia rider, with Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) the top Yamaha runner is seventh place.
Eighth quickest rider proved to be Italy’s Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and the ninth Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team). Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) completed the top ten riders who will automatically enter Superpole 2 on Saturday.
WorldSSP: Sofuoglu Fastest After Friday
Sofuoglu is on the pace in Portugal.
Five times world champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) ended day one out front after two WorldSSP free practice sessions at Portimao, setting a lap time 0.386 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha).
Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) added his CBR600RR to the variety inside the top practice places in third. Championship leader – by a single point – Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) was fourth overall on the first-day rankings, with the leading three-cylinder rider being America’s Patrick Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in fifth place.
A strong overall Yamaha presence saw Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) put the third R6 into the top six places on Friday.
Young Italian rider Michael Canducci (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI Kawasaki) was seventh, Finn Niki Tuuli (Kallio Race System Yamaha) eighth.
The lead British rider was Gino Rea (Team GO ELEVEN Kawasaki) and the early top ten was completed by Christian Gamarino (BARDHAL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing).
Kyle Smith (GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini Honda) was 11th, Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) 15th and Kyle Ryde (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 19th. Aussie rider Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki) was 27th.
Superpole qualifying comes along on Saturday and the lone WorldSSP race on Sunday.
