Imola World Superbike FP1 Results: Toprak Razgatlioglu holds off Jonathan Rea, Alvaro Bautista third

Results from Free Practice 1, round eight of the 2023 World Superbike Championship at Imola, Italy.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Imola 2023
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Imola 2023

Toprak Razgatlioglu made a lightning start to FP1 as he🅘 led the way from Alvaro Bautista and Jonathan Rea, before Axel Bassani took over at the front.

Alex Lowes was next to p﷽ut his name atop the leaderboard before Bassani responded immediately with a mid 1m 4🌟8s lap. 

Razgatlioglu then moved the benchmark time forward𓃲 by breaking into thꦗe 1m 47s barrier. The Yamaha rider put over half a second between himself and Bassani. 

Lowes managed to reduce Razgatlioglu’s lead to just over three tenths, while Bautista, who was on course to challenge for top spot after two sectors, lost half a second in se𓂃ctor three after being caught up behind Philipp Oettl. 

As Bautista threꦛatened to challenge Razgatlioglu’s time, Rea jump🌠ed up to second ahead of his teammate. 

Not the only Ducati rider showing pace in sector one, Michael Ruben Rinal🥃di and Danilo Petrucci were also setting red sectors earlier on in the lap before eventually fading. 

Despite that, Petrucci’s brilliant ♌form from Donington continued as he moved up to sixth sp🔴ot - seven tenths down on Razgatlioglu.

After exiting pit lane for the final third on FP1 with Rea di𒁃rectly behind him, Razgatlioglu chose to abandon his latest hot lap.&༺nbsp;

More improvements from Petrucci then saw him move up to fifth as time attacks began. Bassani quickly relagated Petrucci back to P6 after going second, however, Rea then took second spot away 🍸from the Ducati rider. 

With Rea now leading the way on-track, Razgatlioglu followed the Kawasaki rider closely en route 🐟to setting a new fastest lap.

2023 World Superbike Imola, Italy - Free Practice (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Toprak RazgatliogluTURPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK1:47.661s
2Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.003s
3Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.030s
4Michael Ruben RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.184s
5Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+0.281s
6Danilo PetrucciITABarni Spark Racing Team+0.426s
7Andrea LocatelliITAPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+0.548s
8Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.673s
9Garrett GerloffUSABonovo Action BMW+1.033s
10Scott ReddingGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+1.071s
11Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+1.256s
12Bradley RayGBRMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.483s
13Leon HaslamGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+1.525s
14Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.605s
15Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.625s
16Remy GardnerAUSGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.827s
17Dominique AegerterSWIGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.923s
18Gabriele RuiuITABmax Racing BWM+1.930s
19Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+2.011s
20Lorenzo BaldassarriITAGMT94 Yamaha+2.492s
21Isaac VinalesSPATPR by Vinales Racing+3.455s
22Roberto TamburiniITAPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+3.459s
23Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+3.837s
24Eric GranadoBRAPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+3.844s
25Tito RabatSPAPuccetti Kawasaki+5.343s

Imola WorldSBK Records 

Fastest Lap -  Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Ducati 2019 1:45.727s

2019 Race Winners

Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 

Race 2 - Cancelled 

Honda’s struggles continued as Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge spent the entire session outside of the top ten. The only faller in FP1 was fellow Honda rider Eri♉c Granado.

Weekend Schedule (UK time)

Friday 

Free Practice 1: 09:30-10:15

Free Practice 2: 14:00-14:45

Saturday 

Free Practice 3: 08:00-08:30

Superpole: 10:10-10:25

Race 1: 13:00

Sunday 

Warm-up: 08:00-08:15

Superpole Race: 10:00

Race 2: 13:00

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