Toprak quickest out of blocks as WorldSBK gets underway at Most

2021 WorldSBK Round Six
Tissot Czech Round – Friday

WorldSBK’s first day of action at Most was blighted by weather from start to finish after an initial delay to the day’s action due to heavy fog. Come the close of business on day one, it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) who led the way on the combined times after a dry FP1, with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completing the top three, with just 14 riders setting a time in the wet afternoon session.

Razgatlioglu had a rather quiet opening session, never dropping outside of the leading positions before vaulting into top spot with less than ten minutes to go. Setting the fastest ever two-wheeled lap around Most, the Turkish rider only did two laps in FP2 and was second, but overall, it was an inconclusive but positive opening day at Most.

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – P1

“Today was the first time I ride at Most circuit, but I like it! It’s like “my style” track because of the mix of slow and very fast corners. I’m happy because today for me was a good day. The plan was for a race simulation in the second session but then it started to rain, so we ride some laps in the wet conditions. We are happy with this though, it was the first time I was a little bit faster and also the confidence in these conditions is growing. I am feeling now that I am ready for a race! So we will see tomorrow what we can do.”

Team-mate Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) was also in contention and was up the order in fifth place, the Italian building on his prosperous Assen podium from two weeks ago.

Andrea Locatelli – P5

“It was a strange day because in the second Free Practice we rode in wet conditions, but also the feeling is quite good even in the wet. This was interesting because maybe the weather during the weekend could be a bit crazy. I’m so happy about this morning because we worked very well, put in the laps to learn the track and the bike felt so good in the dry. We hope for the good weather tomorrow morning to be able to continue to work to prepare for qualifying and the race. I feel confident and with P5 it was the best Friday for us for sure, it is a new track for everybody and so maybe tomorrow we can do very well.”

Flying the flag for Kawasaki, Alex Lowes elevated himself into second place right at the close of FP1 in the morning. The British rider was exactly six-tenths from Toprak’s sensational top time, whilst his team-mate Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was a solid sixth as both KRT riders took to the Most circuit for the first time. Rea was 0.840s behind Razgatlioglu and thus heads into Saturday with the Turk as his target, but Rea will be confident in the process and will of course be right in the mix come action on Saturday. Neither rider ventured out in FP2’s rain.

Alex Lowes – P2

“It was a shame not to get a dry session in FP2 to get more laps in because the rest of the weekend looks like it might be dry. The first experience of the track this morning was quite good. I enjoyed the layout as this track has some real nice corners. In the first section the tarmac is different compared to the other sectors, which makes it feel quite different too, but apart from that it is a quite interesting circuit. It looks like it will be a lot about changing direction in the races and many corners lead into the next ones, so you need the bike to be really agile. We tried to make a set-up change this afternoon but we did not get the chance because of the rain. I think the best plan is to start again in the morning in FP3, hopefully it will be dry and we will get to try what we wanted to this afternoon.”

Jonathan Rea – P6

“The bike was pretty good today. I had zero expectation coming here because there is no real footage or TV coverage to look at. I did a track walk with the guys from the team on Thursday and the biggest decision we have to take now is about the final gearing. There are a lot of second and third gear corners and I feel quite ‘in between’ corners sometimes. I learned the track quite well and there are a few little tricks that I can use where you can slide the tyre early to gain metres on the exit; use less or more kerb. We got lucky because FP1 was uninterrupted so I was able to do a lot of laps with no problems. We made a small change and went back out to finish the session so I took a lot of info from that. Unfortunately the second session, when we planned to confirm what we needed to do, was wet. A positive first day and pleasantly surprised at the feeling with the track.”

Lying third going into Saturday is Scott Redding, with the 2020 runner-up led the way for most of the session. Being pipped in the closing stages, Redding will be hoping that Most’s unpredictability will bring him back into contention for the Championship. The British rider’s team-mate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), languished in 13th on the combined times and will have work to do to get on the pace on Saturday, and didn’t head out in the wet FP2.

Scott Redding – P3

“The day started quite well. The feeling with the bike was positive this morning and I was able to ride consistently with a convincing race pace. In the afternoon, then, there were no conditions to get on track. I really hope to be able to race tomorrow on a dry track“.

Michael Rinaldi – P13

“The start of FP1 was quite positive. Unfortunately, though, when I tried to get back on track with the soft tire I couldn’t make a significant step. The goal for FP2 was to continue and improve the work done in FP1. For this reason, we decided not to go on track in wet conditions“.

Leading the Independent charge and to the surprise of everyone was Marvin Fritz (IXS-YART Yamaha), with the German rider wildcarding and debuting in WorldSBK aboard a bike that is slightly modified in comparison to what he rides in the Endurance World Championship. Fritz was fourth, whilst the next Independent rider was his fellow wild-carding team-mate, Karel Hanika. The Czech rider was ninth as both proved to be revelations on day one at Most as both were inside the top ten in the wet too; he was one place higher than Garrett Gerloff in tenth, who topped the wet FP2 and made it five Yamahas in the top ten overall, whilst Axel Bassani was top Independent Ducati in 12th and third in the afternoon.

Marvin Fritz – P4

“I’m really happy to be racing here for the first time in a long while. We had a one-day test here two months ago, but it was also raining and there was a lot of traffic. The most important thing was to understand the Pirelli tyres, because you have to ride in a different style. I’m super happy to be in fourth, I was so surprised to see it but it’s a great start. We lose a little bit out of the first chicane, but this track is not all down to power, it’s more about the corner speed and being good on the tyres. I think that the others will improve, but we can also make steps forward too, so I’m excited for tomorrow morning and getting underway for Race 1.”

Karel Hanika – P9

“It was a good day for us, it’s great to be back in WorldSBK. We have a good bike from EWC, so it’s nice to join this paddock and to be quite competitive in the dry conditions especially. We still have areas to improve, but we have an advantage in that we have more knowledge of the track now. Rain in the afternoon could give us an advantage in the race too, but we will see. We know where we are with the package, we don’t think we’ll challenge the podium places, but the goal is to take on the season regulars and score some points. FP3 tomorrow will be important to understand which tyres will be better for the races and I’m hoping to bring some good results for the Czech fans.”

Flying the flag for BMW and right in the mix is Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). He took seventh in FP1 and thus on the combined times and stayed in his box for the wet weather in the afternoon. Team-mate Michael van der Mark was 11th overall but did two laps in FP2 to finish eighth, but during the heavier rain, opted to stay inside his garage.

Tom Sykes – P7

“We came here with a clear plan of a base set up for the BMW M 1000 RR, and It seems it has been the strongest and most consistent in quite some time, which I am happy about. This morning I was able to go out with the harder tyres and really learn and understand the circuit and even from that we had a good plan for the bike going into this afternoon. Unfortunately, this afternoon we didn’t go out on track to try these things due to the weather. But tomorrow is another day and hopefully the sun will come back, and we all can have a safe weekends racing.”

Michael van der Mark – P11

“It was nice to learn a new track again. To be honest its quite a fun circuit as there are some fast corners, some slow corners so it’s quite difficult, but I had fun. This morning we didn’t do that bad, but we stayed out on the harder tyre and we struggled a little bit with changing direction. We had some ideas to try for this afternoon but unfortunately it was wet, so we have a lot of things to try tomorrow morning.”

Making it five manufacturers inside the top eight places was Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), with the Spaniard back at Most for the first time since 2002. He managed to get an early lap in during FP2 and was fourth then, whilst teammate Leon Haslam was one of the first riders to get out on the track in the soaking wet conditions. The ‘Pocket Rocket’ headed out with less than 20 minutes to go and did nine laps. He was 14th on the combined times with his dry time being the representative one, so it was a mixed bag for Honda after day one.

Alvaro Bautista – P8

“Today was spent discovering a new track and I must say I really like it. Even though I raced here twenty years ago, I had no clear memories of the layout and I didn’t expect it to be so enjoyable. It’s quite fast except for the first chicane, which is the only part I don’t like because it’s very tight and the asphalt is quite bumpy and worn. That sector is nothing like the rest of the track. So this morning we worked to try and find good feeling. We were lacking something in terms of our turning and rear grip but we had clear ideas to try in the afternoon. Unfortunately, as soon as we went out for the first run in FP2, the rain began and disrupted our plans. I eventually made a few laps in the wet but with those conditions the track has no grip at all and the bike was spinning a lot. Anyway, the weather forecast looks better for tomorrow so we will use the third free practice to work to improve before the Superpole and Race 1”.

Leon Haslam – P14

“This first day at Most hasn’t been so bad. This morning we kept the same harder tyre for the whole session, so the actual lap time wasn’t great if we look at the final results, but we were quite competitive compared to others on the same solution. We still have things to learn and change but I was quite happy this morning. In the afternoon it was raining from the very first lap. We made a small change to head out towards the end of the session, still in the wet. I think I was the fastest in those conditions, but we still have things to improve upon of course. Anyway, we will see what the weather brings tomorrow and keep trying.”

In 16th place was Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) as the Spanish rookie heads to Most for the first time, with him rising to tenth in the afternoon’s rain. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) was next up ahead of Japan’s Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who was 12th in the wet running. Isaac Viñales (ORELAC Racing VerdNatura) was next up ahead of Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport – Yamaha), Alessandro Delbianco (MIE Racing Honda Team), Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) and his new teammate Jayson Uribe from America.

WorldSBK Friday Combined Times

WorldSBK Championship Points

WorldSSP

The opening day of FIM Supersport World Championship action came to a close on Friday afternoon at the Autodrom Most with Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) stealing the headlines with a stunning last lap effort in FP2 to top the timesheets ahead of the Tissot Czech Round.

Aegerter posted a 1’35.446s to claim to spot on Friday with the Swiss rider, on a run of five consecutive victories in WorldSSP, ahead of Spanish rider Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team). Gonzalez was one of just a handful of riders who did not improve their time in the afternoon, with his best time of 1’35.656s coming in Free Practice 1.

Patrick Hobelsberger (GMT94 Yamaha) was in the top three on his return to the Championship despite a crash at the very end of Free Practice 1 at Turn 21, with the German rider not able to set a lap time in FP2. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was fourth, four tenths back from Championship leader Aegerter, as he looks to get back to winning ways.

On his first WorldSSP appearance since 2014, French rider Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) claimed fifth place, three tenths away from teammate Hobelsberger. Marc Alcoba (GMT94 Yamaha) was sixth after a very strong morning session, with the Spanish rider posting a 1’36.340s in FP1.

Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will be looking to move up the order as the weekend progresses after putting in the seventh best lap time throughout on Friday, ahead of Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) and 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team). Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) rounded out the top ten, more than one second back from Aegerter’s pace.

Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed 11th spot and missed out on a place in the top ten by a matter of hundredths of a second while wildcard Ondrej Vostatek (Compos Racing Team By YART) secured 12th place after Friday’s action, two tenths away from the top ten, with the Prague-born rider impressing at his home round.

Federico Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) was 13th as he replaces Maria Herrera for the Czech Round, while Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was 14th despite a crash at Turn 16 in FP2. Marcel Brenner (VFT Racing), substituting for Davide Pizzoli, completed the top 15 ahead of Max Enderlein (Kallio Racing), who is standing in for Hannes Soomer.

Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) was just behind his teammate in 17th place with One Event rider Martin Vugrinec (Ferquest – Unior Racing Team) in 18th place. Danny Webb (WRP Wepol Racing) also had a crash, both in the afternoon Free Practice 2 session, with an accident at the penultimate Turn 20.

WorldSSP Friday Combined Times

WorldSSP Championship Points

WorldSSP300

The rain stopped falling for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship’s FP2 at Most, but it wasn’t enough to allow the track to dry out completely, meaning damp running concluded day one. Leading the way into day two after topping FP1, Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) took charge overall, although come the end of FP2, it was Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) who mastered the wet weather and made hay whilst the sun attempted to shine.

Steeman was right on the pace in the first session of the weekend and come the end of the day, he was the man to beat on the combined times, although he opted to not go out in FP2. Championship leader Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was next up in second place overall but unlike Steeman, opted to head out and brave the FP2 rain, finishing in 20th. In the top three from the morning, Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing) was 13th in the wet afternoon session but nonetheless, looks competitive for his home-team.

In fourth place was Koen Meuffels (MTM Kawasaki) but he was 17th in the wet, whilst fifth place went to home-hero Oliver Konig (Movisio by MIE), who was the highest placed rider of the combined times in the wet weather. 2021 podium finisher Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo) settled into the top six and was 16th in the tricky afternoon conditions, as the weather turned the morning running on its head.

Victor Rodriguez Nuñez (Accolade Smrz Racing) was seventh overall whilst next up in eighth was Christian Stange (2R Racing), the German having a strong morning showing. Bahattin Sofuoglu (Biblion Yamaha Motoxracing) completed the overall top nine but was the second-fastest rider of FP2’s wet running, indicative of a strong performances in all of the weather. Defending World Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) was fastest in the wet but tenth overall, the Dutchman adapting to the weather and growing in confidence as the day wore on.

Second in the Championship Tom Booth-Amos (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) was 11th on the overall timesheets but third in the wet running, something Booth-Amos has always thrived in. Also finding form to break into the top ten in the wet running was Petr Svoboda (WRP Wepol Racing), who was top Czech rider in the afternoon in fourth.

Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) was fifth in FP2 and up from 29th in FP1 and Filippo Maria Palazzi (ProGP Project) was an even bigger improver, moving into seventh from 38th in the morning. Hugo De Cancellis (Prodina Team WorldSSP300) was eighth in the wet but 22nd overall, whilst Gabriele Mastroluca (ProGP Project) was tenth in the wet but 17th in the dry. 2018 World Champion Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) had a tough day: just 36th in the morning and 25th in the afternoon.  Young Aussie Harry Khouri was 32nd on combined times.

WorldSSP300 Friday Combined Times

WorldSSP300 Championship Points

2021 Czech Schedule (AEST)

2021 WorldSBK Calendar