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Post by truenorth on Mar 10, 2024 10:37:54 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:07:50 GMT -8
Brilliant Bulega almost 0.5s clear of Razgatlioglu on Day 1 in Barcelona, Rea rebounds from Australia with P5 Thursday, 14 March 2024  Plenty of stories were generated on Day 1 of the Supported Test as Nicolo Bulega led the way, 0.454s clear of his competitors The two-day Supported Test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field concluded on Thursday with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) leading the way. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosted the two-day Supported Test ahead of next week’s Pirelli Catalunya Round, with the #11 lapping 0.454s faster than his rivals on a day that produced several incidents throughout the eight hours of running. BULEGA LEADS DUCATI’S CHARGE: P1 for the #11 again, Sam Lowes impresses as a rookie again Bulega added yet another circuit to the list of venues he’s been fastest at in WorldSBK as he set a 1’40.304s using the SCQ tyre and completed 72 laps. The #11 was focusing on keeping his feeling with the Panigale V4 R, while the primary goal was to prepare for the round next week. It was similar for teammate Alvaro Bautista, who finished in third place, 0.725s down on his teammate with an incredible 103 laps to his name. They were joined Michele Pirro from the test team as the Italian helped to develop the power delivery and engine characteristics. In terms of Independent Ducati riders, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was the quickest, the #14 ending up fourth despite a lowside crash at Turn 10 which then caused a technical issue with a faulty sensor at around the halfway point. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was the seventh fastest and just over a second away from Bulega. The #9 had nothing new on his V4 R as he tested Pirelli’s new SCX tyre, and he was ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) in eighth. The #21 crashed at Turn 5 in the afternoon but was still able to finish inside the top ten with a 1’41.692s. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was 11th; ‘The Maniac’ aiming to recover his feeling at this circuit as it was the first time he’s ridden here on a WorldSBK-spec machine. RAZGATLIOGLU TAKES TOP BMW HONOURS: crashes for several BMW riders including the #54 As seen so often in testing, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the lead BMW rider with second place overall, although he did have a small crash Turn 10 in the morning. He set a 1’40.768s to lap four tenths behind rival Bulega but was still the fastest BMW rider. Teammate Michael van der Mark crashed in the afternoon at the same corner, and he was classified in 15th place. There was also a crash for test team rider Bradley Smith at Turn 5. At the Bonovo Action BMW team, Garrett Gerloff was the quicker of the team’s two riders with ninth place, while Scott Redding was in 19th. REA BACK TOWARDS THE TOP: third place the #65 Yamaha had a strong opening day of testing, with Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) back on track following his Race 2 crash in Australia and taking fifth spot. The plan for him was to try and find the feeling with the bike he had at Jerez, and he set a 1’41.655s to take P5. Teammate Andrea Locatelli was outside the top ten in 12th, around three tenths off his teammate. Remy Gardner's (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) strong pace continued as took sixth place, as the second-fastest Yamaha rider, while teammate Dominique Aegerter was 17th. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) finished in 23rd place ahead of Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) in 24th. LOWES ON TOP AT KAWASAKI DESPITE CRASH: the Brit leads KRT’s charge Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) headed into the test on the back of a sensational Sunday in Australia, and he continued to enjoy his place as KRT’s team leader with tenth place at a circuit that hasn’t been particularly kind to Kawasaki in the past. However, his day was disrupted by a Turn 10 crash with just over half an hour left in the session, which brought out the red flags for a few minutes. Teammate Axel Bassani, who was focusing on the upcoming round, was 14th. For the test, he had Marco Melandri by his side although there’s no commitment yet beyond the Catalunya Test. KRT did have some upgrades to try at the test, although they didn’t reveal what they were; only that they couldn’t be seen from the outside. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was 20th on his factory ZX-10RR, lapping around 2.2 seconds off Bulega’s best time. A CHALLENGING DAY FOR HONDA: two tech issues at Team HRC It was a chastening, and quite frankly bizarre day for Honda, as both Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and teammate Xavi Vierge had technical issues in the morning. Both bikes stopped at around the same time, causing a disruption to their planned programme; Lecuona left the circuit before the test day concluded although Vierge did return to the track on his other bike. Lecuona was classified 21st with his teammate two places ahead, and you can read more from Honda here. Next door at the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, Tarran Mackenzie was the fastest out of the two riders with 22nd place, while teammate Adam Norrodin was 28th. The Malaysian’s day was impacted by him running out of fuel a few hours into the test while on track. The top ten from Day 1, full results here: 1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1’40.304s 2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.464s 3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.725s 4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.752s 5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +1.351s 6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.367s 7. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +1.380s 8. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +1.388s 9. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +1.433s 10. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +1.498s |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:09:22 GMT -8
Toprak P2 on Barcelona BMW debut, suffers Turn 10 fall: "I hope to feel better… there’s no grip" Thursday, 14 March 2024  With grip always a premium product in Barcelona, Razgatlioglu continues his search for it as well as battling with engine braking Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) second round as a BMW rider is fast approaching but a test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya gives opportunity for vital preparation for the weekend. Always a track which has been challenging for BMW, with a lack of grip and rear-wheel spinning a problem, it is pivotal that BMW – along with the other manufacturers – work hard to get their bikes in an optimal operating window. The day didn’t start particularly well for the 27-year-old Turk, who crashed at Turn 10 under braking. He was able to get up to his feet and ride the bike back but the #54 M 1000 RR was quite damaged. However, he was soon dusted down and back out on track; with two bikes available, there were two different swingarms spotted – the Kalex one which was used in Australia and a newer, street-model derived version which has been seen before at various tests. Setting 62 laps and inside the top three for most of the afternoon on his way to second – when the track was at its best of the day – Razgatlioglu was satisfied at the end of day one. FIRST FALLER: “I had a small crash at Turn 10, trying to fix the engine braking” Reviewing the day and about how it went, the 2021 World Champion said: “I had a small crash at Turn 10, trying to fix the engine braking. The rear locked a bit, released, the rear was sliding and then came back again and pushed me into the corner and then I fell. The crash was slow but the bike was destroyed. I saw some parts! I got back out to try and fix the rear grip but I’m still not 100%, especially here. Entry it’s OK but the exit with the opening of the gas, it spins a lot. At Yamaha, I can remember that it had better grip and with BMW, we found a way and tomorrow, we’ll work more and I hope to feel better. I have traction, no problem; there’s just no grip.” Focussing on the BMW side as a whole, he said: “With the team’s side, it’s similar to Yamaha but on the manufacturer side, I see a lot more people from the factory. At Yamaha, I never saw Japanese guys. Just Italian and British guys. Here, there’s a lot of German guys because the project is very important for these guys. What I need, they immediately make. I always say I need more engine braking and these guys make new software just for me. What I need, BMW make it; it’s direct with the factory.” Talking about using the newer-style swingarm and outlining the plan for day two in Barcelona, he continued: “I used the new swingarm; the plan is that we’ll use the old swingarm tomorrow to understand the grip because it’s bad. With the Q tyre, we’ll have more grip but I’m still feeling the tyre spinning.” GONSCHOR ON BMW TEST PROGAMME: “We have the potential of the bike” Speaking earlier in the day, Chris Gonschor, BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s technical director, spoke of the testing with the various swingarms: “I’m sure we don’t have to talk about the distribution but we’re working on the rear end of the bike, as was the case in Portimao and during the Phillip Island tests too. It already started in January. We want to calm down and optimise corner exit and stabilise corner entry. Getting out of the corner more stabilised and more under control; it’s obvious the swingarm was part of this evaluation but like always, it’s just one part.” Attention then turned to the wider test goals and the low grip situation that Barcelona always offers: “The test target is like always; using the track time we have in these perfect conditions here in Barcelona. I’m glad that we have the test and race together in March. The test team will focus on development like always – without going into detail – and the race team full focused on the race operation. This opportunity is a perfect time to prepare for the weekend. We’re looking forward to the race weekend. This track is completely different to Phillip Island in terms of grip as here has less. We’re not afraid of the circumstances and to get stuck in; we have the potential of the bike and the ingredients we put in bring us into the working window and we’ll concentrate on getting the best out of it. I’m fully motivated like the rest of the team to work here, race next week and get important data.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:10:44 GMT -8
"From Lap 1, the bike felt more normal" – is Rea back to his best after Day 1 in Barcelona? Thursday, 14 March 2024  The six-time Champion endured a difficult Australian Round but appeared to be back on it when testing kicked off in Barcelona Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a disappointing visit to Australia just a few weeks ago, scoring no points and being declared unfit after a Race 2 crash. The two-day MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was his first chance to get back on the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine as he looked to kickstart his 2024 season properly as the entire field took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a Supported Test in Spain. The first day suggested that Rea was back on the pace as he posted a 1’41.655s and completed 73 laps on his R1 machine, consistently towards the top of the timesheets. It marked a good fightback for the #65 after his crash and point-less outing at Phillip Island, at a Barcelona circuit that traditionally has been trickier for Yamaha than other circuits on the calendar. He finished in fifth place, behind only Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). Reflecting on his day and revealing the bike was feeling better, Rea said: “From Lap 1, the bike felt more normal, more like it had when testing throughout the winter. The guys went back to Milan after Australia to analyse all our issues and problems we’ve been having. We came here, fixed all of that. We still have some things to work on but now it feels like a normal test. We can keep working lap by lap. Phillip Island was a really bad start. Mentally, we had a bit more of a reset and started from zero, but also some changes to the bike with more of a base. I felt quite okay with the bike. It feels good but I’m not talking 100%; we need to work in some areas.” Rea spent the majority of the day towards the top of the timesheets, often running in the top three before being demoted in the final stages of the day. It was also the first chance for him to check whether the rear chatter problem he was suffering from in Australia had gone, with the Ulsterman explaining he wasn’t suffering with it in Barcelona. Rea revealed the area of the bike he’d ‘really like’ to work on, saying: “An area I really want to focus on with the bike is trying to generate traction with the rear. That’s not just coming from a rear shock or suspension, that’s a combination of linkage, swingarm, bike character… it’s really hard to pinpoint where to improve that. No complaints, for sure. They’re working in a really good way.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:12:05 GMT -8
DUCATI DELIGHT: Bautista "feeling like I am back again", Bulega "improved a little bit" on starts after clutch changes Thursday, 14 March 2024  Ducati riders finished first and third on Day 1 in Barcelona and both were left jubilant after the day concluded Both Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and teammate Nicolo Bulega were rapid on Day 1 of the Supported Test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the #1 finishing third and the #11 taking top spot. It continued a strong start to the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign for the Ducati team, after Bulega’s Race 1 win in Australia and Bautista’s second place in Race 2 and neither could hide their delight following the test day. Bautista had been lurking inside the top ten for most of the day, but he surged up the order in the final 30 minutes, initially moving into second before being overhauled by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). However, despite finishing behind his teammate, the reigning Champion was more than happy with how his day went, declaring that he had “no problem” riding the bike after an injury-stricken winter left him unable to train properly. A jubilant Bautista said after completing more than 100 laps and posting a 1’41.029s: “Now, I am happy because I am feeling like I am back again. After the Australian Round, I was quite confident and, today, I started like a bit awkward but then I felt good on the bike. I can say I don’t have problems riding the bike. We didn’t make a lot of changes because, for me, it’s important to get the feeling with the bike. The bike is basically the same as last year. A bit more weight but basically the bike didn’t change. It’s important to get the feeling, get used to the new weight of the bike and see in which areas we can push more or less.” On the other side of the box, the #11 was one of the first riders to lap in the 1’41s bracket on Day 1 of the Supported Test, before improving to a 1’40.305s and completing 72 laps. His best time came on his 67th lap as he went provisionally went more than a second clear, but his rivals halved the gap. It means Bulega has now topped test days at all of his WorldSBK tests, starting from the first one at Jerez last year to the most recent. Explaining his programme for the day and his remarkable pace to leave him almost half-a-second clear, Bulega said: “It’s not a bad feeling to be P1! I know it’s just a test, but it gives me a lot of confidence to be P1 but also if I was P2; I’m fast, so it’s good. I used the SCQ, I think like everybody. I used it like Alvaro, Toprak and a lot of guys. I tried the new Pirelli C900 tyre, and I liked it; I think it can be a good choice for the round. All the tyres I tried today, I had a good feeling. We concentrated a lot on the clutch because, in Australia, my three starts were bad. We tried something new on the clutch to start better. I improved a little bit, so I’m happy, but when you are in the races, it’s more difficult.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:13:37 GMT -8
"We’ve got new items… a lot of faith that they’re going to work" – Escamez on Honda development Thursday, 14 March 2024  Barcelona testing is well underway and we caught up – at great length – with Jose Escamez, the new team manager at Team HRC at how the development is going after a tricky start to 2024 2024 has begun for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship but testing continues, particularly at the Supported Test in Spain. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is the host for two days of track action with plenty of teams and riders getting up to speed for the round as well as long-term development. For Honda, it’s a vital test; a disappointing start to 2024 in Australia has happened but new team boss Jose Escamez outlines Honda’s strategy to fight back and get closer to the front. BRIEF ROUND 1 REVIEW: “Not what we expected or were looking for” Starting with a quick glance back to Australia, it was a far from ideal introduction to WorldSBK for the new team principal: “The first round was not what we expected or looking for, but the important thing is that we got information in order to keep developing our new bike. Unfortunately, Iker had an early crash and that wasn’t in our plans, it’s not what we want. We got positive information in order to keep us going and we have the hope that it’s going to be much better during the season.” Talking about Iker’s comments to the media about how the project has been going, Escamez was understanding in his response: “It’s obvious that a rider always wants something else. Other manufacturers have made a huge step and maybe we’re not at the same level yet, but I’m confident that we will get there and with all the information we got from Australia, we have a much clearer idea about the way we want to go and what the targets are. When you have a crash and don’t understand why, it’s normal to be upset so I really understand Iker.” TALKING TECH: powerful engine but how can they profit from it? “The engine is really powerful,” continued Escamez, with attention turning to how they can fix their underlying grip issue that has plagued the Japanese manufacturer since they returned to WorldSBK. “The only thing we are trying to solve in the short term is trying to have profit of this power. We can’t generate the grip, we struggle to stop the bike and then in the corners, we go wide. This is the main target and this is something we already faced in the past. In Australia, we got a lot of information that’s going to help us solve all this. “We’ve got new items. We have a lot of faith that they’re going to work. It won’t be something that solves all our problems, it’ll be a little step that we’ve not tried on track. That’s why we’re here, to test them on track. It’s just to have more engine brake and it’s important to solve this aggressive response from the engine. It’s base setup and electronics, it’s something we knew. It looks like a pointless thing, but the way we lost a test day at Portimao in December due to rain, we delayed our development a little bit. We’re getting closer to where we want to be.” NAGASHIMA PRESENT AND TESTING: Honda strengthen development programme With test rider Tetsuta Nagashima in the paddock once again and undergoing a vigorous testing plan, Escamez put spotlight on the importance of data acquisition: “Nagashima will test something today that our riders will test tomorrow. We wanted to try it first on track. As much information we can get, the better. It’s part of our project. “At the moment, aside from the electronics and power delivery, we’re still working on the base setup which is not bad but something we can still improve. We’re looking at little details to have the perfect bike… which is impossible! We didn’t get our proper base setup yet. Different tracks can adjust better.” KUWATA MOVES ON: no knock-on impact expected With a change in Honda’s organisation in Tetsuhiro Kuwata moving onto a new role in the company and being replaced by Taichi Honda as HRC General Manager, Escamez shed light on the situation: “This is a natural procedure in the company, which is nothing related and nothing wrong with that. He’ll get another role in the company, then Taichi Honda will replace him. I don’t think it’ll effect much. He’s a guy who’s supported us a lot and we can just say thanks for all his support, his knowledge but it’s not going to be a big change.” NEW APPROACH “With this new planning and mentality of Honda… it’s going to be much better” Confirming that working processes and procedures are a bit different and more efficient back in Japan, the new team boss highlighted that eventually, they’ll have better times: “Since this year they’ve improved the willing and the reaction, and working harder than before, maybe it’s not going to be as fast as we’d like but it’ll be much better than before. With this new planning and mentality of Honda, it cannot be an immediate reaction but it’s going to be much better.” Finally, when asked about whether or not his experience in MotoGP™ - which dates back over 20 years, having worked with the likes of Max Biaggi – can help in WorldSBK and Honda’s project here, he was humorous as well as humble: “I really hope so! Otherwise, there’s no reason for me to stay here! It’s not something you think about, you just trying to give your knowledge from the best ones and I hope it helps us improve or at least be more effective.” It's been a tricky opening half a day for Honda in Barcelona, as both riders suffered technical issues at exactly the same time and in the same sector. |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 14, 2024 11:14:59 GMT -8
TYRE INNOVATIONS: Pirelli bring new development front SC1 and rear SCX tyres to Barcelona test Thursday, 14 March 2024  The tyres, which will also be in the round’s tyre allocation, include a new SCX solution at the rear and SC1 at the front Testing is a time for manufacturers in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to test new items and components, and that goes for tyre supplier Pirelli too. At the two-day Supported Test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, they brought a new front SC1 solution and rear SCX solution which the entire field were able to test during the two-day outing in Spain. Pirelli are always searching for innovation and that continued with the introduction of the rear SCX C900 development tyre with the aim of providing extra stability compared to the the current standard solution to make the tyre an even better option. It comes off the back of the A800 development solution used widely in WorldSBK last year, with the Italian company always enhancing their tyres. Explaining the SCX tyre, WorldSBK Project Leader at Pirelli, Steven Neumann, said: “The C900 is a rear tyre, and this tyre is a development from the SCX. It’s quite a nice tyre so it’s the first time we will test it in WorldSBK. It’s an improvement on the SCX based on what we know from the previous development tyre of the SCX. The compound is the same, it’s just that we are looking for something better. It’s already a really good tyre. As you saw last year, it’s been used for full races. We had, last year, the A800 as a development tyre. This tyre is an improvement of that development. It’s not something softer or harder but bringing something new to have something better. You are supposed to have more stability on drive, and more edge grip.” The SCX tyre is not the only innovation at the test, with a new SC1 front tyre also available in the test. Both solutions will be available to use during next week’s Pirelli Catalunya Round, with the new SC1 also designed for more stability especially when conditions are warmer or at tracks which can be demanding on front tyres. Neumann discussed why a new development tyre was available, saying: “There’s a new front tyre, it’s not linked to the rear tyre. It’s just a development soft tyre which is in the SC1 family. Our target is to give more stability on the front, mainly when it’s hotter and on really demanding tracks on the front, like Barcelona, in heavy braking areas or when you’re leaning and starting to brake. The compound remains the same as the SC1, so we are looking to have better stability.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 16, 2024 9:10:23 GMT -8
AS IT HAPPENED: Full updates from two-day Barcelona test as lap record pace is broken Thursday, 14 March 2024  LAP RECORD PACE SMASHED: Bulega vs Razgatlioglu in titanic closing testing minutes, Bautista crashes Friday, 15 March 2024  Nicolo Bulega and Toprak Razgatlioglu were separated by just 0.027s at the end of Day 2, while Alvaro Bautista crashed late on at Turn 10, Petrucci shines in P3 The Supported Test for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field concluded on Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a disrupted day due to overnight rain leaving the circuit damp. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) went a tenth under the existing lap record, as did Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in the final hour of the day to ensure he remained on top for yet another test day with the pair separated by almost nothing. DUCATI ON TOP: lap record pace for Bulega, as Petrucci found something on softer tyres? Bulega was once again under a lap record as he set a 1’40.172s to snatch top spot away from Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) initially, with the #9 running in P1 until Bulega usurped him with around 45 minutes left to go under the existing record of 1’40.264s set by his teammate last year in the Tissot Superpole session. Despite Petrucci’s strong pace, two technical problems earlier in the day as well as a crash when on course to improve his time disrupted the Barni Ducati rider’s plans. He was able to show impressive speed across a range of tyres, initially moving up to fourth on the standard SCX but with the new front tyre from Pirelli before he was usurped by Bulega. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) put his Panigale V4 R in 16th place, more than a second back from ‘Bulegas’, while Michele Pirro, for the test team, was also inside the top ten. Bautista had a small crash at Turn 10 in the final stages of the day, with the left-hand corner catching a few riders out. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) was fourth and quick at yet another circuit; this time, one he hasn’t been to on a Superbike machine, although an issue at Turn 5 in the final half an hour impacted him. Despite this, he returned to the track afterwards and found time to claim P4, while Sam Lowes claimed seventh on another strong day for the rookie. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) was in tenth place, posting a 1’41.020s, with the #21 starting his test later than others as he waited for the track to dry up. RAZGATLIOGLU P2 AS LEAD BMW: will the Turk be in the mix come the round? Despite finishing just shy of top spot, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the lead BMW rider, taking second place and, like Bulega, going under the lap record with a 1’40.199s and completing 75 laps. The #54 is still searching for more engine brake on his M 1000 RR machine, while he also compared two different swingarms today. Teammate Michael van der Mark was narrowly inside the top ten with the Dutchman attempting both a time attack and a race simulation on Day 2. Both Bonovo Action BMW riders finished outside the top ten, with Garrett Gerloff in 12th and Scott Redding in 17th. REA IN THE TOP FIVE: another strong day as Rea builds confidence again Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was quick on Day 1 and continued that on Day 2 with fifth place, setting a 1’40.772s and finishing only 0.6s off Bulega’s best time. With the test about allowing the #65 to re-find his confidence, it looks like he’ll be fighting at the sharp end at next week’s round. Teammate Andrea Locatelli, suffering pain in his knee from his Australia Race 2 highside, was inside the top six following a late improvement, despite a technical issue in the final couple of hours, but and less than a tenth off his teammate. It was a strong day for the GYRT GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team too, with Remy Gardner often inside the top five but dropping to P11 after his day concluded 30 minutes early and Dominique Aegerter in contention two places behind. Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) made progress from Day 1 as he climbed to 21st place, 2.1 seconds away from P1, with Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) the last of the Yamaha riders in 23rd. TWO CRASHES FOR ALEX LOWES: on top at KRT despite a couple of tumbles Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was again Kawasaki’s top rider at the test, but his day was disrupted by two crashes. The first came at Turn 5 in the morning while the second was at Turn 10 in the afternoon; on this occasion, he was able to ride back to the pits. His best time was a 1’40.985s with 77 laps completed. On the other side of the box, Axel Bassani, still working with Marco Melandri during this test, was outside the top ten after setting a 1’41.551s and racking up 78 laps. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was just behind the #47 after the Spaniard spent Day 1 working on race simulations, with Rabat taking 18th place. TRICKY FOR HONDA: outside the top ten, Lecuona ends day early Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was the lead Honda rider again on Day 2 of the test, with the Japanese manufacturer battling back from a difficult Day 1 where they had technical problems with both riders at the same time. Vierge finished in 19th place with a best time of 1’41.804s, while teammate Iker Lecuona was almost a second down on the #97. Next door at the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda outfit, Tarran Mackenzie worked with new crew chief Mick Shanley for the second day, after declaring Day 1 to be one of his most enjoyable and productive days. He was in 22nd place with a best time of 1’42.371s, while teammate Adam Norrodin was around 0.8s back from the Brit. The top ten from Day 2 in Barcelona. Full Day 2 results HERE and combined results HERE: 1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1'40.172s 2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.027s 3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.429s 4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +0.490s 5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.600s 6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.676s 7. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.772s 8. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.789s 9. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.813s 10. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +0.848s |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 16, 2024 9:15:36 GMT -8
Has Petrucci found a breakthrough with softer tyres? "I did the lap time with the new front… it was so good!" Friday, 15 March 2024  Danilo Petrucci has often stated that softer tyres are his Achilles heel in WorldSBK, but has that changed following the Barcelona test? Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was one of the stand-out names on Day 2 of the Supported Test as he finished in third place, after running in top spot during the afternoon before being demoted by Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). However, his day wasn’t simple at all, with two technical issues and a crash hampering his progress but he was still able to show impressive speed to be towards the front at a track he hasn’t enjoyed strong results at in the past. He initially went into the top four using a combination of the standard SCX tyre and the new front SC1, but then went even faster on the SCQ later to set a 1’40.801s and claim first place provisionally, although he was moved into second place by Bulega’s lap-record breaking pace and then a place further by Razgatlioglu. Despite the red-hot lap times, Petrucci had two technical issues and a crash which cost him valuable running time at a circuit where he took 12th in Race 2 here last year, and a best in MotoGP™ of third in 2019, although he was generally in the lower end of the top ten throughout his career here. Discussing his issues and crash, he said: “The first part was not busy, because I pushed the bike out of the gravel a couple of times. We had a problem with this morning, a bit of rain and we waited a bit, and then we had this issue with the number one bike. We had to start the day quite late but then we’ve been able to recover so well. I was worried about my lap time with the SCX and the SCQ. I could’ve been better but, on the second attempt, I crashed at Turn 10. On the second try, I put on another tyre because I wanted to do a Superpole Race simulation with the qualifying tyre, and I was improving my lap time, but I crashed at Turn 10.” Despite the issues plaguing him on Friday, he’ll be in a confident mood heading into the Catalunya Round as he looks to add to his podium tally. Although he was unable to complete a race simulation on Day 2 due to the lost time, ‘Petrux’ explained how he felt like the team were in a good way heading back into next week’s round. He added: “Because we didn’t have so much time, we wanted to try a race simulation, but we were unable. I think we’re in good shape. The tyre wear here is the main thing so you can be fast, but you need to be faster at the end of the race as your pace can drop one or two seconds. I’m satisfied. I’m happy because I’m trying to understand the tyre. It’s really good to go with a lot of speed inside the corner and Bulega is really good at it. I need to try to smoother on the throttle and carry more speed in the corner. I did the lap time with the new front tyre, and I like it. I was a little bit overriding the bike and I was really trusting the front tyre too much, because it was so good!” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 16, 2024 9:18:31 GMT -8
Alex Lowes optimistic after Barcelona test: "Good and busy… happy with my consistency in the race run!" Friday, 15 March 2024  The #22 had strong pace in Spain but his second day was disrupted by two crashes, with Alex Lowes able to bounce back and take a top-nine spot Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had a mixed day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, finishing in ninth place with a best time of 1’40.985s but suffering two crashes when he lost the front, damaging his ZX-10RR. The first crash occurred just before the halfway point of Day 2, which featured a slow start due to overnight rain, with riders generally heading out an hour into the day which began at 10:00 Local Time (UTC+1). He was still optimistic despite the crashes, after his strong race pace he showed throughout the test. The Championship leader was one of the exceptions to riders not going out early, with the #22 one of the first to head out, around 45 minutes into the day, for a couple of expletory laps. He then began his testing programme in earnest, racking up 77 laps as he finished in the top ten for KRT, once again leading their charge as the Championship leader looks to continue his strong form from Australia after his double Down Under in the season-opener. Explaining his crash and his day, Lowes, who ventured out on track around an hour after, said: “It was good and busy. I worked a lot today. It’s always hard because people are putting tyres in. I did a race simulation, trying to look after the tyres especially the front; this track seems quite low grip and critical on the front. I was happy with my consistency in the race run, it was certainly a lot better than last year with similar conditions. We’re making steps forward but so’s everyone else. I was happy enough. The steps we made with the bike were good. I used a SCQ at the end, but the second last exit wasn’t really ready for it, so my three laps were all the same. I didn’t go any faster on the Q. My crashes were just small front-end crashes. They were my fault. We’re trying stuff on the bike, electronics, so maybe the setting we had didn’t work.” Overall, across the two days, the British rider racked up nearly 150 laps, with the four-time race winner focusing a lot of his time on the Catalunya Round next week, declaring after Day 1 he had an improved feeling at this venue compared to other years. His two crashes on Friday were his third of the test, following a slow spill at Turn 10 when on 18-lap old tyres on Day 1. Despite his three falls, he was optimistic about the upcoming round. He added: “I think my pace is good, but until we get there, we don’t know. It’s been good because, Australia with the new surface was really grippy and this is one of the least grippy tracks. It’s important to come here, get a feel for the stuff we tried in the winter; the electronics and the setting, more the setting than the software as it’s a lot different to last year. I’m a lot happier now I know it works. I did the race simulation today; I’ve got the experience of that. We’re definitely better prepared even though I had a couple of crashes. I’m happier after the test than before the test because we didn’t know what to expect.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 19, 2024 8:42:45 GMT -8
IANNONE REVEALS ALL: "It’s a really special comeback for me… I’m really happy, it’s incredible" Tuesday, 19 March 2024  The Italian star was on top form for his racing return and sat down to discuss several topics, from the emotions of his comeback and his incredible podium Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) made his racing comeback in last month’s Australian Round, securing a front row start and a podium at the iconic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. It was a memorable return to racing and his MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship debut, stunning everyone with incredible performances during his first competitive weekend in four years. In Australia, ‘The Maniac’ sat down to discuss in-depth his return to racing, the WorldSBK paddock and his first weekend in World Superbike. HOW THE COMEBACK CAME ABOUT: watching WorldSBK, speaking to Dall’Igna… The Australian Round marked Iannone’s first race weekend in four years after his ban and, when WorldSBK went Down Under, the one-time MotoGP™ race winner explained how he felt during his ban and how the comeback came about, including a trip to Misano with his father and talks with Ducati Corse’s General Manager, Gigi Dall’Igna, which led to the #29 racing on the Panigale V4 R with Team GoEleven. Having how he felt during his ban and the comeback process, Iannone said: “My four years without racing… in the beginning, it was dramatic. It’s difficult to understand and adapt because I lost my whole life. When you lose everything, you are a little bit disorientated. It’s like a big crash, but when you have a big crash, maybe you stop for a year. I stopped for four years. It’s tough to explain this situation. I felt a lot of support from my fans, my family, and my friends but it wasn’t easy. Especially in the first year, I was a little bit more closed in on myself but, step by step, I started to live a normal life a little bit. “I stopped following MotoGP™ and started following WorldSBK. I don’t know why but this is the reality. When I followed some races, I felt like I wanted to be in the races and the battle, and this is why I started talking with Gigi Dall’Igna sometimes. One day, I went to Misano with my father and met him. We spoke a little bit and he said, ‘So, Andrea, you want this, and you think you’re ready?’. I told him I was. I’m back after a long time, I’m really excited for this comeback. I’m happy, I live this dream. I won’t recover what I lost; it’s impossible, but in part, I want to try to recover my happiness.” THOUGHTS ON WORLD SUPERBIKE: “The level is really high… the first 10-12 riders are really fast!” Iannone’s WorldSBK debut forms part of the new era in the production-based Championship, with rookies making their mark early on, Champions making massive moves to new manufacturers and more. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) claimed a debut win in Race 1, joined on the podium by Iannone, while Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took a podium in the Tissot Superpole Race in his first weekend with the German manufacturer. Despite all the stories, the 34-year-old was able to write his own headlines and gave his thoughts on why he wanted to race in WorldSBK. Detailing his attraction to World Superbike, Iannone said: “WorldSBK is really good, the atmosphere in this paddock is fantastic. I felt a lot of passion for the motorsport, for the bike, it’s a really good energy for me. At this moment of my career, I think it is the best Championship. Now I’m here and want to enjoy it. The level is really high because every rider is fast. I think the first 10-12 riders are really fast.” THE FIRST FEELINGS: “I was immediately fast… feeling with the bike was good” Although Australia marked his first race in World Superbike, he began his testing programme in October at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto when the 2023 campaign concluded. Since then, the #29 has been quick at every circuit he’s tested or raced at, as he continues to get back up to speed on a race bike. He’s tested at Jerez, Portimao, Phillip Island and Barcelona and has been quick at all four circuits, boosting confidence and raising hopes in the team he’ll be quick all season. Talking about his initial thoughts when he first jumped on the V4 R, Iannone said: “At Jerez in October, when I tried the bike, I was immediately fast. We finished the first test in fifth place with a lap time that wasn’t bad. The feeling with the bike was immediately good. In any case, I think I need more kilometres. We need to work a lot. We understand everything a little bit better, especially the bike and tyres. For the tyres, everything changed because the tyres are different compared to MotoGP™ tyres. I think we worked well during pre-season and it’s important we have support from Ducati.” THE FIRST PODIUM: “Didn’t expect this result… I fought with the best riders in WorldSBK!” Although Australia was his comeback weekend, everything about it made it look like Iannone hadn’t been away for any period, let alone four years. Second in the Tissot Superpole session was followed up with the holeshot in Race 1 and third place, behind Bulega and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha). He was 14th in the Tissot Superpole Race despite showing strong pace, and then fought for the rostrum in Race 2 but was narrowly beaten by Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and came home fourth. On securing a maiden podium, ‘The Maniac’ said: “I didn’t expect this result. When you achieve one podium, it’s a really great result. It’s a really special comeback for me and I’ll never forget this moment and this weekend. After a long time, I lived a beautiful moment one more time. I fought with the best riders in WorldSBK, in my first weekend and first race. What happens now? I’m in front, I’m first, I led the race. It’s incredible. I’m really happy, it’s beautiful. I won’t forget this first weekend.” |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 4:14:39 GMT -8
SBK FP1
1 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU TUR ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team BMW M 1000 RR 1'41.199 16 165,666 323,4
2 60 M. VAN DER MARK NED ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team BMW M 1000 RR 1'41.245 0.046 0.046 16 165,590 319,5
3 65 J. REA GBR Pata Prometeon Yamaha Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.400 0.201 0.155 14 165,337 318,6
4 11 N. BULEGA ITA Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.407 0.208 0.007 15 165,326 321,4
5 55 A. LOCATELLI ITA Pata Prometeon Yamaha Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.473 0.274 0.066 20 165,218 318,6
6 29 A. IANNONE ITA Team GoEleven Ducati Panigale V4R IND 1'41.497 0.298 0.024 16 165,179 328,3
7 87 R. GARDNER AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.784 0.585 0.287 16 164,714 321,4
8 9 D. PETRUCCI ITA Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R IND 1'41.785 0.586 0.001 18 164,712 315,8
9 14 S. LOWES GBR ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R IND 1'41.821 0.622 0.036 19 164,654 320,5
10 31 G. GERLOFF USA Bonovo Action BMW BMW M 1000 RR 1'41.845 0.646 0.024 18 164,615 320,5
11 1 A. BAUTISTA ESP Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.968 0.769 0.123 15 164,416 325,3
12 77 D. AEGERTER SUI GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.990 0.791 0.022 17 164,381 316,7
13 47 A. BASSANI ITA Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.110 0.911 0.120 17 164,188 318,6
14 22 A. LOWES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.232 1.033 0.122 13 163,992 317,6
15 97 X. VIERGE ESP Team HRC Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.266 1.067 0.034 17 163,937 324,3
16 21 M. RINALDI ITA Team Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4R IND 1'42.272 1.073 0.006 16 163,928 318,6
17 5 P. OETTL GER GMT94 Yamaha Yamaha YZF R1 IND 1'42.397 1.198 0.125 17 163,727 315,8
18 45 S. REDDING GBR Bonovo Action BMW BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.404 1.205 0.007 15 163,716 314,9
19 53 T. RABAT ESP Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR IND 1'42.647 1.448 0.243 16 163,329 319,5
20 7 I. LECUONA ESP Team HRC Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.750 1.551 0.103 16 163,165 322,4
21 28 B. RAY GBR Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1 IND 1'43.161 1.962 0.411 16 162,515 314,0
22 95 T. MACKENZIE GBR PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Honda CBR1000 RR-R IND 1'43.180 1.981 0.019 17 162,485 316,7
23 27 A. NORRODIN MAS PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Honda CBR1000 RR-R IND 1'44.893 3.694 1.713 15 159,831 317,6
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 4:25:09 GMT -8
SSP FP
1 277,6 277,6 277,6 MONTELLA MV Agusta F3 800 RR 0.000 GER 13 MV Agusta Reparto Corse 23M. 159,845 1'44.884
2 271,4 271,4 271,4 SCHROETTER Kawasaki ZX-6R 0.115 TUR 13 Kawasaki Puccetti Racing 61 C. 159,670 0.115 1'44.999
3 272,7 272,7 272,7 ONCU Yamaha YZF R6 0.268 FRA 15 GMT94 Yamaha 94 L. 159,264 0.383 1'45.267
4 272,0 272,0 272,0 MAHIAS Triumph Street Triple RS 765 0.184 ESP 16 WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph 9 J. 158,986 0.567 1'45.451
5 274,1 274,1 274,1 NAVARRO MV Agusta F3 800 RR 0.311 ITA 16 Motozoo ME AIR Racing 64 F. 158,518 0.878 1'45.762 6 277,
6 277,6 277,6 CARICASULO Ducati Panigale V2 0.018 ITA 14 Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team 5N. 158,491 0.896 1'45.780
7 269,3 269,3 269,3 ANTONELLI MV Agusta F3 800 RR 0.025 TUR 15 MV Agusta Reparto Corse 54B. 158,454 0.921 1'45.805 8 272,0 272,0 272,
8 SOFUOGLU Yamaha YZF R6 0.205 ITA 12 Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing 62 S. 158,147 1.126 1'46.010 9 272,0 272,0 272,
9 MANZI Triumph Street Triple RS 765 0.024 GBR 10 WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph 17 J. 158,112 1.150 1'46.034 10 270,0 270,0 270,
10 MCPHEE Yamaha YZF R6 0.112 ESP 16 VFT Racing Yamaha 72 Y. 157,945 1.262 1'46.146
11 272,0 272,0 272,0 RUIZ Yamaha YZF R6 0.063 ITA 15 Altogo Racing Team 48L. 157,851 1.325 1'46.209
12 271,4 271,4 271,4 DALLA PORTA Yamaha YZF R6 0.019 NED 15 Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing 28G. 157,823 1.344 1'46.228
13 274,8 274,8 274,8 VAN STRAALEN Ducati Panigale V2 0.337 FIN 14 EAB Racing Team 66N. 157,324 1.681 1'46.565
14 268,7 268,7 268,7 TUULI Ducati Panigale V2 0.017 ESP 14 Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team 99A. 157,299 1.698 1'46.582
15 277,6 277,6 277,6 HUERTAS Triumph Street Triple RS 765 0.046 GBR 13 PTR Triumph 69 T. 157,231 1.744 1'46.628 16 273,4 273,4 273,4
16 BOOTH-AMOS Ducati Panigale V2 0.012 POL 14 Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team 74P. 157,213 1.756 1'46.640 17 272,0 272,0 272,0
17 IESIEKIRSKI Kawasaki ZX-6R 0.051 SUI 16 VIAMO Racing by MTM 25M. 157,138 1.807 1'46.691 18 268,7 268,7 268,7
18 BRENNER Ducati Panigale V2 * 0.000 ITA 13 Orelac Racing Verdnatura 22 F. 157,138 1.807 1'46.691 19 274,1 274,1 274,1
19 FULIGNI MV Agusta F3 800 RR * 0.118 AUS 17 Motozoo ME AIR Racing 68L. 156,964 1.925 1'46.809 20 272,0 272,0 272,0
20 POWER Triumph Street Triple RS 765 0.117 CZE 15 PTR Triumph 50O. 156,793 2.042 1'46.926 21 273,4 273,4 273,4
21 VOSTATEK Ducati Panigale V2 * 0.010 ITA 17 Renzi Corse 40S. 156,778 2.052 1'46.936 22 270,7 270,7 270,7
22 CORSI Ducati Panigale V2 0.095 AUS 17 D34G Racing WorldSSP Team 32O. 156,639 2.147 1'47.031 23 271,4 271,4 271,4
23 BAYLISS Yamaha YZF R6 0.043 THA 15 Yamaha Thailand Racing Team 51 A. 156,576 2.190 1'47.074 24 276,9 276,9 276,9
24 SARMOON Yamaha YZF R6 0.071 FRA 15 Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team 53V. 156,472 2.261 1'47.145 25 270,7 270,7 270,7
25 DEBISE Ducati Panigale V2 0.075 ITA 13 Orelac Racing Verdnatura 7 L. 156,363 2.336 1'47.220 26 275,5 275,5 275,5
26 BALDASSARRI Kawasaki ZX-6R 0.183 JPN 13 Vince64 Racing Team by Puccetti 78H. 156,096 2.519 1'47.403 27 270,7 270,7 270,7
27 OKUBO Ducati Panigale V2 0.592 IRL 13 Rokit Haslam Racing 15 E. 155,241 3.111 1'47.995 28 269,3 269,3 269,3
28 MCMANUS Yamaha YZF R6 0.016 THA 17 Yamaha Thailand Racing Team 39K. 155,218 3.127 1'48.011 29 268,0 268,0 268,0
29 KEANKUM Kawasaki ZX-6R * 0.165 ITA 13 Team ProDina Kawasaki 19G. 154,981 3.292 1'48.176 30 265,4 265,4 265,4
30 GIANNINI Honda CBR600RR 0.058 JPN 17 PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda 27K. 154,898 3.350 1'48.234 31 272,0 272,0 272,0
31 TOBA Honda CBR600RR 0.173 MAS 16 PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda 89K. 154,651 3.523 1'48.407 32 263,4 263,4 263,4
32 BIN PAWI----------------- Out 105% in this Session ----------------QJMOTOR SRK 800 RR * 2.655 ITA 9 QJMOTOR Factory Racing 3R. 150,954 6.178 1'51.062 33 252,9 252,9 252,9 DE ROSA Ducati Panigale V2 * AUS 4 D34G Racing WorldSSP Team 71 T. 34 185,6 185,6 185,6
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 4:26:59 GMT -8
Razgatlioglu leads van der Mark by 0.046s in BMW 1-2, Rea bounces back for P3 in FP1 Friday, 22 March 2024 photos.worldsbk.com/2024/03/22/50758_jdr_r2_action2024_full.jpg2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu was quick from the start of FP1, while van der Mark left it late to make it a BMW 1-2 BMW had reasons to smile after Free Practice 1 for the Pirelli Catalunya Round after locking out the top two positions. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led teammate Michael van der Mark at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by only 0.046s in a hotly-contested start to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. 13 riders were separated by a second at the end of FP1 with a slightly mixed-up order in the first session of the weekend. Razgatlioglu posted his 1’41.199s in the first 15 minutes of the 45-minute session to claim first place and put BMW on top at a track they’ve historically struggled at. The #54 was less than half a tenth clear of teammate Michael van der Mark as BMW took a 1-2 in Free Practice 1 at a circuit they’ve traditionally found tricky. Van der Mark’s late lap, coming in the final three minutes of the session, was 0.046s slower than Razgatlioglu, but he was able to finish ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in third with the #65, like van der Mark, moving up the order in the closing stages. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was running in the top three throughout most of the session, but he was demoted to fourth when van der Mark and Rea moved ahead but he still finished as the lead Ducati rider. He was less than a tenth ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) in fifth, after ‘Loka’ originally moved into the top three but found himself pushed down into fifth. However, he was the busiest rider on track, racking up 20 timed laps. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) completed the top six, only three tenths down on Razgatlioglu to show how tight the WorldSBK field is in 2024. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed seventh spot with a 1’41.784s, finishing only 0.001s ahead of Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in eighth. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), utilising an SCX tyre in the final stages of the session, was ninth with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in tenth and ensuring three BMW machines were inside the top ten but only seven tenth off his stablemate’s pace. The top six from WorldSBK Free Practice 1, full results here: 1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1'41.199s 2. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.046s 3. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.201s 4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.208s 5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.274s 6. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +0.298s |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 4:36:34 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 5:11:04 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 7:50:01 GMT -8
2024 Catalunya World Superbike FP2 Result:
By Jared Earle | Fri, 22/Mar/2024
Nicolo Bulega held the top spot for the early part of the session with world champion Alvaro Bautista unable to go faster. Danilo Petrucci slipped between the two to make it a Ducati 1-2-3 at half distance. In the second half, Bulega moved the needle again, dropping into the 1'40s, a quarter of a second quicker than Bautista. Eventually, Bautista closed the gap a little, but not enough to worry his teammate.
Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista were the first two of four Ducatis quickest this session, with Danilo Petrucci and Sam Lowes joining them. Toprak Razgatlioglu was fifth-quickest, unable to better his third-overall time set this morning.
Results:
Pos No. Rider Bike Time Gap Speed
1 11 N. BULEGA Ducati Panigale V4R 1'40.907 315,8
2 1 A. BAUTISTA Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.154 0.247 325,3
3 9 D. PETRUCCI Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.508 0.601 317,6
4 14 S. LOWES Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.701 0.794 315,8
5 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU BMW M 1000 RR 1'41.808 0.901 323,4
6 29 A. IANNONE Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.878 0.971 321,4
7 65 J. REA Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.945 1.038 320,5
8 87 R. GARDNER Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.990 1.083 314,9
9 47 A. BASSANI Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.025 1.118 322,4
10 22 A. LOWES Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.049 1.142 318,6
11 21 M. RINALDI Ducati Panigale V4R 1'42.056 1.149 322,4
12 77 D. AEGERTER Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.116 1.209 319,5
13 60 M. VAN DER MARK BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.189 1.282 319,5
14 55 A. LOCATELLI Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.247 1.340 312,1
15 97 X. VIERGE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.339 1.432 322,4
16 31 G. GERLOFF BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.413 1.506 320,5
17 7 I. LECUONA Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.539 1.632 321,4
18 45 S. REDDING BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.578 1.671 316,7
19 5 P. OETTL Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.643 1.736 311,2
20 53 T. RABAT Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.722 1.815 322,4
21 95 T. MACKENZIE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'43.562 2.655 316,7
22 28 B. RAY Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.691 2.784 313,0
23 27 A. NORRODIN Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'44.280 3.373 317,6
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 8:14:04 GMT -8
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 8:18:46 GMT -8
BULEGA ON TOP: ‘Bulegas’ takes top spot on Friday ahead of Bautista, Razgatlioglu P3 Friday, 22 March 2024  There’s a ‘Noah’s Ark’ feel to the top six as Bulega leads the way on Friday in Barcelona ahead of two BMWs and two Yamahas Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) continued his impressive start to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with P1 on Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, beating two-time Champion teammate Alvaro Bautista by more than two tenths. The #11 continues to make waves as a rookie and that was shown during the Pirelli Catalunya Round both with his outright speed and incredible race pace. BULEGA VS BAUTISTA FOR VICTORY? A close fight in store at Ducati… Bulega went faster in FP2, and fastest overall, for Friday, with the two Ducati riders running split strategies to test SCX tyres in FP2. Bulega started on the development SCX C0900 tyre before switching to the standard, where he dipped into the 1’40s with a 1’40.907s. Across the box, Bautista started with the standard SCX but went on the C0900 to end his session as they booked focused on race performance. In the end, Bulega’s 1’40.90s was the fastest time of FP2, and the day, with Bautista 0.247s back. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) led the Independent Ducati charge with P7, 0.590s down on Bulega, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) one place and 0.011s down on ‘The Maniac’. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was ninth while Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) was 15th FASTEST IN FP1, CLOSE IN FP2: BMW in the mix in Barcelona? Barcelona is a circuit Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) hasn’t won at yet, but he’s put himself in contention after Friday’s running along with teammate Michael van der Mark as the pair took third and fourth in the combined classification, with both riders’ best times coming in FP1, although the #54 was able to take P5 in FP2 – the highest-placed rider who didn’t improve in the afternoon. At the Bonovo Action BMW team, neither Garrett Gerloff nor Scott Redding found time in FP2, finishing the day in 16th and 18th place respectively. FIGHTING FOR THE PODIUM? Two Yamahas in the top six Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) finished the day as the lead Yamaha rider in fifth, directly ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli. Both the #65 and the #55 were focusing on long run pace in FP2, with Locatelli completing a 21-lap run during the 45-minute session which left him down the order in FP2 but sixth overall. The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team were represented in the top ten with Remy Gardner in P10 while Dominique Aegerter was two places behind his teammate and separated by only two tenths. Philipp Oettl (GMT94 Yamaha) was in 17th place after setting a 1’42.397s, while Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) posted a 1’43.161s to finish in 21st. IMPROVING IN FP2: Lowes, Bassani find gains but out of the top ten on Friday Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was the first rider to improve his time in the afternoon session compared to FP1 as he moved up the order, followed shortly by KRT teammate Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with both riders finding time as the temperatures warmed up in Barcelona. In the end, the #22 finished in 14th place with Bassani one place ahead and the pair separated by 0.024s. The third Kawasaki rider was Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who finished in 20th place after setting a 142.647s despite a Turn 5 spill in the opening stages of FP2. LOOKING FOR MORE: will Honda fight back on Saturday? At a circuit where Honda have gone well at in the past, the Japanese manufacturer have found 2024 difficult in Barcelona. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was the fastest rider for HRC as he finished in 16th place, setting a 1’42.266s with teammate Iker Lecuona three places lower than the #97. Next door at the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, Tarran Mackenzie was 22nd and teammate Adam Norrodin 23rd as they rounded out the WorldSBK field. 1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 1'40.907s 2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.247s 3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.292s 4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.338 5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.493s 6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.566s |
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Post by truenorth on Mar 22, 2024 8:20:03 GMT -8
2024 Catalunya World Superbike FP2 Result:
By Jared Earle | Fri, 22/Mar/2024 - 07:21
Nicolo Bulega held the top spot for the early part of the session with world champion Alvaro Bautista unable to go faster. Danilo Petrucci slipped between the two to make it a Ducati 1-2-3 at half distance. In the second half, Bulega moved the needle again, dropping into the 1'40s, a quarter of a second quicker than Bautista. Eventually, Bautista closed the gap a little, but not enough to worry his teammate.
Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista were the first two of four Ducatis quickest this session, with Danilo Petrucci and Sam Lowes joining them. Toprak Razgatlioglu was fifth-quickest, unable to better his third-overall time set this morning.
Results:
Pos No. Rider Bike Time Gap Speed
1 11 N. BULEGA Ducati Panigale V4R 1'40.907 315,8
2 1 A. BAUTISTA Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.154 0.247 325,3
3 9 D. PETRUCCI Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.508 0.601 317,6
4 14 S. LOWES Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.701 0.794 315,8
5 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU BMW M 1000 RR 1'41.808 0.901 323,4
6 29 A. IANNONE Ducati Panigale V4R 1'41.878 0.971 321,4
7 65 J. REA Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.945 1.038 320,5
8 87 R. GARDNER Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.990 1.083 314,9
9 47 A. BASSANI Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.025 1.118 322,4
10 22 A. LOWES Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.049 1.142 318,6
11 21 M. RINALDI Ducati Panigale V4R 1'42.056 1.149 322,4
12 77 D. AEGERTER Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.116 1.209 319,5
13 60 M. VAN DER MARK BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.189 1.282 319,5
14 55 A. LOCATELLI Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.247 1.340 312,1
15 97 X. VIERGE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.339 1.432 322,4
16 31 G. GERLOFF BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.413 1.506 320,5
17 7 I. LECUONA Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'42.539 1.632 321,4
18 45 S. REDDING BMW M 1000 RR 1'42.578 1.671 316,7
19 5 P. OETTL Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.643 1.736 311,2
20 53 T. RABAT Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'42.722 1.815 322,4
21 95 T. MACKENZIE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'43.562 2.655 316,7
22 28 B. RAY Yamaha YZF R1 1'43.691 2.784 313,0
23 27 A. NORRODIN Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'44.280 3.373 317,6
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Nov 10, 2024 9:45:58 GMT -8
Nov 10, 2024 9:45:58 GMT -8