Gordon Ritchie | October 11, 2024
Friday WorldSBK
On a not fully dry track surface the second WorldSBK free practice session got underway under consistently grey skies at the long-stablished Estoril circuit
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took an early lead in FP2. This was to prove to be the only practice session that counted towards combined qualifying times, as all riders went faster in the drier sector of the afternoon session.
Rains arrived to cause a premature end to the meaningful track action with less than 20 minutes still left to run. A very few riders went out just before the end of the session, despite the wet conditions, just to get a feel for the track again.
Behind Razgatlioglu, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) was second and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) third.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth fastest and Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) a strong fifth.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a near highside in FP2 but stayed on to finish the opening day – his first on an WorldSBK machine at this venue – sixth fastest.
Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team) placed seventh, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) eighth, Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda) ninth and Jonathan Rea (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) tenth.
FP3, Superpole qualifying and then Race One will all take place on Saturday 12 October.
2024 Portuguese WorldSBK Results—Friday
1 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) |
1:37.355s |
2 |
Danilo Petrucci |
(Barni Spark Racing Team) |
+0.710s |
3 |
Alex Lowes |
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) |
+0.719s |
4 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
+0.892s |
5 |
Iker Lecuona |
(Team HRC) |
+0.894s |
Friday WorldSSP
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati) won the battle to take the best possible grid position for Race One on Saturday ahead of championship leader Adrian Huertas (Aruba Racing Ducati) after a wet Superpole qualifying session.
Track conditions were such that the lap times from even the best riders were well over ten seconds off record pace, continuing the theme of a difficult start to the penultimate weekend of the year.
Behind the leading Ducati duo Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) continued his strong showings with third best time, ahead of another 2024 regular contender, Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha).
Assen race winner Glenn van Straalen (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was fifth fastest, with the fourth Yamaha rider inside the six being Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha).
Occasional WorldSSP rider Simoni Corsi (Renzi Corse Ducati) placed seventh in Superpole, Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) was eighth and Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Ducati) ninth. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing MV Agusta) was the first MV rider on the grid for Saturday’s 18-lap race, and tenth fastest.
Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing Ducati) was 11th, Luke Power (Motozoo ME AIR Racing MV Agusta) 22nd and hard early faller Tom Edwards (D34G Racing Ducati) placed 24th, despite suffering a contusion on his left thigh.
2024 Portuguese WorldSSP Results—Friday
1 |
Raffaele De Rosa |
(QJMOTOR Factory Racing) |
1:56.918s |
2 |
Yari Montella |
(Barni Spark Racing Team) |
+0.049s |
3 |
Valentin Debise |
(Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) |
+0.414s |
4 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Orelac Racing Verdnatura) |
+0.786s |
5 |
Bo Bendsneyder |
(MV Agusta Reparto Corse) |
+0.820s |
Friday WorldWCR
Overnight and early morning wet weather conditions threatened to halt any action on day one at Estoril, with heavy rains and mist reducing visibility and the available light.
The action did get underway in FP1, after the conditions had slightly improved. After a still-damp Superpole Qualifying session in the afternoon, Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) was the fastest rider, 0.359 seconds up on her number one challenger for the title itself, Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team).
Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) completed a familiar looking top four of Spanish riders.
The first non-Iberian was Australia’s Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) in fifth place, albeit 2.2 seconds back on Carrasco.
Another proven podium finisher, Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team), placed sixth, and only just behind Relph.
Mexico’s Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) leads the riders on row three for Saturday’s race, and will be joined by Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) and American rider, Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team). Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) completed the pre-race top ten.
Saturday 12 October will host the first of two 12-lap races at this penultimate round of the championship.
2024 Portuguese WorldWCR Results—Friday
1 |
Ana Carrasco |
(Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) |
1:51.706s |
2 |
María Herrera |
(Klint Forward Factory Team) |
+0.359s |
3 |
Beatriz Neila |
(Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) |
+1.907s |
4 |
Sara Sánchez |
(511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) |
+1.918s |
5 |
Tayla Relph |
(TAYCO Motorsport) |
+2.232s |
For more WorldSBK news and results, click here