Razgatlioglu returns as Gerloff leads a BMW 1-2 at Motorland Aragon
WorldSBK Free Practice: Gerloff Tops the Timesheets, Toprak Impresses on Return
After three weeks out due to injury, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) wasted no time in reestablishing himself as a frontrunner in the WorldSBK Free Practice at Motorland Aragon. The Turkish star topped the timesheets in Free Practice 1 and narrowly missed out on the fastest time of the day in the afternoon, ending just 0.004 seconds behind the leader.
Gerloff Sets the Pace
Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) ended the day on top with a 1’49.017, set on his 34th and final lap. The American rider has shown strong form in recent rounds, consistently placing in the top four. By setting the fastest time, Gerloff aims to convert his pace into a front-row start in Superpole.
Bulega Overcomes Early Troubles
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) rounded out the top three, overcoming an electrical issue that delayed the start of his FP1 session. Despite the setback, the championship contender completed 38 laps and ended just 0.136 seconds behind Gerloff, showcasing his competitive edge heading into the weekend.
Aragon’s Challenging Conditions
Motorland Aragon, the longest track on the WorldSBK calendar, presented additional challenges with resurfaced asphalt and strong winds. Several riders faced difficulties during Free Practice 2, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) all experiencing crashes. Bautista recovered to set the fourth fastest time, completing 36 laps despite his tumble.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) was the busiest rider on track, clocking 40 laps on the opening day at the circuit where he claimed his maiden WorldSBK win in 2020 and his most recent win last season.
Rider Reactions
P1 | Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW):
“It’s great to start the weekend like this! Aragon is such a fun track, and the new asphalt has a lot more grip compared to last year. The wind was strong, but I felt really good. When things start to click, everything flows better. If I can nail a good lap in Superpole tomorrow, we’ll be in a strong position to fight for a good result.”
P2 | Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team):
“It feels amazing to be back! I’ve never won at Aragon, and that’s my goal this weekend. The track is tough, but the grip is good on the resurfaced areas. I did a 14-lap race simulation today, and physically, I feel good, although a bit tired. We need to improve the bike’s turning and stopping, but I’m fully focused on the race. Winning is my target.”
P3 | Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati):
“We had a small problem in FP1, but after that, everything was fine. My feeling with the bike improved a lot in FP2. The track conditions weren’t the fastest, but we’re still in a good position. I think we have the pace to stay in the top three, and we’ll keep improving tomorrow.”
P4 | Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati):
“The strong wind made things difficult today, but the new asphalt offers good grip. I crashed in Turn 9, likely due to the damaged surface there, but thankfully, there were no major consequences. I’m not yet at 100% physically, but I’m improving and confident for the rest of the weekend.”
WorldSBK Combined Results after FP2
1. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’49.017s
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.004s
3. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.136s
4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.245s
5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.251s
6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +0.476s
WorldSBK action continues on Saturday with FP3 at 9:00, followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:00, and Race 1 at 14:00.
WorldSSP Huertas turns the screw on his rivals
Superpole Highlights: Huertas Secures Seventh Pole Position of the Season
Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) claimed his seventh Superpole of the season, locking up the Tissot Superpole Award with two rounds remaining. The championship leader faced fierce competition during the 45-minute session, but his final lap secured the top spot on the grid.
As the session concluded, Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) leaped to the front row, finishing second, while Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) settled for third after leading for much of the session. This marks Navarro’s second front-row start of the season.
Title contenders Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) will start from fourth and eighth positions, respectively, adding extra intrigue to the championship battle.
Rider Reactions
P1 | Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team):
“It was a really good day, securing pole position and showing strong race pace. We have clear goals for improvement, and each day, we find something new to work on. We’re fast, consistent, and avoiding mistakes, which is crucial. I expect a close race with the leading riders tomorrow, but I’m looking forward to it. I’ll focus on finding areas where I can gain an advantage and hopefully enjoy a fun race with my competitors.”
Huertas heads into tomorrow’s race in a strong position, with championship contenders ready to battle it out from lower grid spots.
WorldSSP Tissot Superpole Results
1. Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’52.932s
2. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.062s
3. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) +0.113s
4. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.213s
5. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.407s
6. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.455s
WorldSSP 300 An early crash can’t halt the Veneman momentum
Superpole Highlights: Loris Veneman Claims Third Pole of the Season
Despite a dramatic start to the 25-minute Superpole session, Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) recovered from an early crash to secure his third pole position of the season. The Dutch rider’s bike suffered significant damage in the crash, forcing him to spend over ten minutes in the pits. However, after swift repairs, Veneman returned to the track and set the fastest time, 2’06.300, on his penultimate lap.
Championship leader Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) qualified in second, finishing just under two-tenths of a second slower than Veneman. The Indonesian rider remains in a strong position for the upcoming race.
Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacting) secured his second front-row start of the season, though he was over six-tenths behind Veneman. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) will lead the second row after a solid Superpole performance, followed by Julio Garcia Gonzalez and Marc Garcia of the KOVE Racing Team.
Rider Reaction
P1 | Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki):
“This was the weirdest session I’ve ever had! I crashed on the out lap, and the bike was pretty much destroyed. I picked it up and rode back to the pits, but my team did an amazing job fixing it so quickly. I managed to get back out and still had time for two flying laps. The first lap was fast, so I thought, ‘Okay, it’s going well.’ The second lap was enough for pole position, and I’m really happy with the result. My goal is to be World Champion, so I’ll do everything I can to gain some points on Aldi this weekend.”
Veneman’s impressive comeback sets the stage for a thrilling race as he aims to close the gap in the championship fight, with Mahendra and Pratama poised to challenge from the front.
WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole Results
1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 2’06.300s
2. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.184s
3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +0.606s
4. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) +0.618s
5. Julio García (KOVE Racing Team) +0.997s
6. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +1.052s
WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole Results
1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 2’06.300s
2. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.184s
3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +0.606s
4. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) +0.618s
5. Julio García (KOVE Racing Team) +0.997s
6. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +1.052s
WorldSBK resumes its action on Saturday with FP3 starting at 9:00 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole at 11:00 and Race 1 at 14:00. Meanwhile, WorldSSP continues with a Warm Up at 9:50, followed by Race 1 at 15:15. WorldSSP300 Warm Up will be at 9:30 followed by Race 1 at 12:45.
Official WorldSBK Press Release
