WorldSBK Free Practice Summary
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) topped the charts on the opening day at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The Ducati rider completed 34 laps and posted the fastest time of 1’40.681 during an intense FP2 session.
Despite the picture-perfect weather, with clear skies and high track temperatures, the wind became a significant factor in the later stages of the day. As the evening progressed, the wind intensified, leading to crashes for Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing).
Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who has won ten consecutive races, faces a more challenging weekend ahead. The Turkish rider was third fastest but encountered reliability issues in both sessions, completing 31 laps overall.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), currently second in the championship standings, also faced technical difficulties. He lost all of FP1 due to a problem after just one flying lap but managed to recover in FP2, setting the fourth fastest time.
Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) clocked the most mileage with 41 laps, consistently working on his race simulation and ending the day in fifth place.
Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) faced technical issues in FP2, finishing 18th fastest. Despite limited track time, the Australian rider was within a second of the fastest time, setting the stage for a competitive weekend.
P1 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“I’m quite surprised because I struggled here last year, even though it’s a track I like. Today, I felt good on the bike, pushed hard, and found a good rhythm. We made some setting changes in the afternoon and tried a new rear tire, which was a step forward. The tire was grippy, and I liked it! We also made adjustments to the front, and I have a good feeling there as well. I didn’t expect to finish with the fastest time, so I’m both surprised and happy. I’m still recovering from injuries, and my right arm is a bit tired, but I hope this result gives me strength for tomorrow.”
P2 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Physically, I’m okay—just a bit of road rash, nothing serious. The wind caused my crash as it got stronger during FP2. I approached the corner faster than before, tried to brake at the same point, but lost the front. Despite this, I’m happy because I felt good on the bike, similar to how I did at Most, which is a positive sign. We also tried different gearing to cope with the wind. This is the first weekend where we’ve transitioned from one track to another, and the feeling has stayed consistent. It’s been a positive day, and we’ll continue building confidence with the bike for tomorrow.”
P3 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“I had a technical problem in FP2 and had to return to the box, missing the last ten minutes of the session. Despite this, my feeling with the bike was good, especially with the used tire, which performed well. After 18 laps, I still managed a 40.9 lap time, which is excellent in these hot conditions. I noticed some issues after a few laps on the new tire and had to return to the box slowly. Although we’re starting the weekend differently, I’m feeling positive and looking forward to tomorrow.”
WorldSBK Combined Results after FP2
1. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’40.681s
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.023s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.102s
4. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.130s
5. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.140s
6. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.255s
Huertas edges Montella for pole position
Superpole Highlights
Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) claimed pole position in the final moments of the session, clocking a time of 1’43.352. This put the championship leader two-tenths of a second ahead of his closest rival, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team).
The session was interrupted by a red flag after Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) suffered a high-speed crash at Turn 9. Unfortunately, the Turkish rider sustained a concussion and has been ruled out for the rest of the weekend.
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) secured his sixth consecutive front row start, though he finished over seven-tenths of a second off the pace.
The second row of the grid will feature Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing Verdnatura), and Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“Our strong form continues with this pole position! We’ve been working incredibly hard, even during the holiday period, and it’s paying off. Starting from pole is great, and we aim to keep this momentum going as we accumulate points in the championship. In Free Practice, being fastest isn’t always the priority since you’re often focused on different aspects of the setup. Today, we executed our plan perfectly and are ready for tomorrow. The high temperatures will be a factor to watch, but I believe we can handle it. Our strategy is clear: we’re going for the win tomorrow.”
WorldSSP Tissot Superpole Results
1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’43.352s
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.240s
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.739s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +0.804s
5. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.831s
6. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +1.013s
Back to back poles for Veneman
Superpole Highlights
Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) secured back-to-back pole positions with a commanding performance in the Superpole session, setting a time of 1’55.399. The Dutch rider was in top form, leading both Practice and Superpole. After winning both races at the Czech Round, Veneman is now aiming to become the first rider to win three consecutive WorldSSP300 races.
The session was briefly halted by a red flag just five minutes in, following a crash involving Ruben Bijman (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) and Dinis Borges (Speed Master Racing Team).
Earlier, Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) crashed at Turn 5 before the red flag incident. The double World Champion ended the session 1.3 seconds off the pole time, qualifying 18th.
Championship leader Inigo Iglesias Bravo (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) also went down at Turn 5 after the session resumed. Despite the crash, the Kawasaki rider managed to qualify on the third row.
P1 | Loris Veneman | MTM Kawasaki
“This has been the best Friday I’ve ever had. I led Free Practice by almost half a second and secured pole position. It couldn’t be better. In qualifying, the wind was strong, so I had to find some riders to slipstream behind. In the end, it worked out. With this wind, it’s hard to predict what will happen tomorrow, but the goal in WorldSSP300 is always to win.”
WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole Results
1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 1’55.399s
2. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) +0.517s
3. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +0.563s
4. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.673s
5. Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) +0.684s
6. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) +0.740s
WorldSBK resumes its action on Saturday with FP3 starting at 12:10 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole at 14:45 and Race 1 at 18:00. Meanwhile, WorldSSP continues with a Warm Up at 11:40, followed by Race 1 at 16:30. WorldSSP300 Warm Up will be at 11:20 followed by Race 1 at 15:30.
Official WorldSBK Press Release
