Rea quickest as red flags disrupt progress on Day 1 at Imola
As the opening day of on track action at Imola draws to a close, Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) heads into tomorrow’s final free practice session ahead of Tissot-Superpole as the fastest rider in the combined classification.
A fire in the adjoining park close to the circuit brought out the red flags after only 7 minutes after major improvements already for Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) who had jumped to 9th and Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) who had both also improved on their morning time.
When the session resumed virtually all of the riders improved, which was to be expected, with Jonathan Rea leading the standings from Sykes and Melandri but another red flag with 12 minutes of the session remaining meant another short stoppage before the session could finally resume.
Eventually with the stoppage reaching almost 45 minutes, the decision to cancel the on track activity for today was made due to a broken drainage cover at Turn 4.
The top ten riders were therefore classified as Jonathan Rea, Tom Sykes, Marco Melandri, Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team), Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and the fastest EVO rider Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team).
As it stands Michel Fabrizio (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki) is 20th and therefore the final rider to make into Tissot-Superpole. There is of course once final session tomorrow morning for everyone to improve.
Times: 1. Rea (Honda) 1’48.147 average 164.310 kph; 2. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’48.187; 3. Melandri (Aprilia) 1’48.261; 4. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’48.323; 5. Giugliano (Ducati) 1’48.329; 6. Davies (Ducati) 1’48.592; 7. Haslam (Honda) 1’48.999; 8. Laverty (Suzuki) 1’49.259; 9. Baz (Kawasaki) 1’49.600; 10. Camier (BMW) 1’49.610; 11. Lowes (Suzuki) 1’49.710; 12. Goi (Ducati) 1’49.920; 13. Canepa (Ducati) 1’50.015; 14. Salom (Kawasaki) 1’50.103; 15. Badovini (Bimota) 1’50.228; 16. Elias (Aprilia) 1’50.370; 17. Iddon (Bimota) 1’50.609; 18. Scassa (Kawasaki) 1’50.926; 19. Corti (MV Agusta) 1’51.034; 20. Fabrizio (Kawasaki) 1’51.357; 21. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1’51.544; 22. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’51.572; 23. Foret (Kawasaki) 1’51.581; 24. Morais (Kawasaki) 1’51.707; 25. Toth (BMW) 1’52.445; 26. May (EBR) 1’54.669; 27. Sebestyen (BMW) 1’55.102; NC. Yates (EBR) 1’56.225.
World Supersport
With blistering temperatures gracing the Imola circuit, the World Supersport riders enjoyed two sunny sessions ahead of the 4th round of the championship on Sunday. The Italian track always provides close racing and judging by the Free Practice times from today, Sunday’s race could be a nail biter.
Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) gave the local fans something to smile about, powering his Honda CBR600cc machine to the fastest time this morning but it was former Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Team India Kawasaki) that ended the day on top after a significant improvement by the Turkish rider in FP2.
With almost all of the riders improving, Kev Coghlan (DMC-Panavto Yamaha) and Assen winner Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) completed the top three ahead of Lorenzo Zanetti and Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse – YMS) who recovered from a morning technical problem to end the opening day in 5th.
Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) was the only rider in the top 18 who failed to improve in FP2, the Frenchman rounded out the top six.
Riccardo Russo re-joined at turn 7 after falling towards the end of the session.
Alex Baldolini (ATK Racing MV Agusta) was 14th on his return to the championship with Thai rider Ratthapark Wilairot (Core PTR Honda) claiming 18th after the two sessions on his first visit to Imola.
Times: 1. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’51.744 average 159.021 kph; 2. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1’52.090; 3. Zanetti (Honda) 1’52.147; 4. Vd Mark (Honda) 1’52.168; 5. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1’52.292; 6. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’52.461; 7. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1’52.741; 8. Kennedy (Honda) 1’52.768; 9. Bussolotti (Honda) 1’52.855; 10. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1’52.868; 11. Russo (Honda) 1’52.929; 12. De Rosa (Honda) 1’52.985; 13. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 1’53.195; 14. Baldolini (MV Agusta) 1’53.305; 15. Nocco (Kawasaki) 1’53.697; etc.
