Lecuona leads FP1, Bautista and Rea 4th and 5th

The eighth round of the Superbike World Championship started this Friday at the Barcelona Catalunya circuit with the Valencians from Team HRC. Iker Lecuona FP1 best time registered at 1 minute 41 seconds 396

Lecuona topped the timesheets with 10 minutes remaining and held that position until the end of the 45-minute session. Fresh off his 2023 standings at Aruba.it Racing, Ruben Rinaldi – Ducati has dropped to his 0.535s. The reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx) was just 1/60,000 of his time and he was third. Alvaro, who has trailed his Bautista by almost 50 points over the last three rounds, will continue this line and will look to catch up with the Toledo man at this weekend’s race. The title fight moved up from the first round with his 1/1000th Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) in fifth place.

The Northern Irishman took to the wheel of Talaverano on the first lap of the session and started a mind game with his rivals.

As for the rest of the Spaniards, Team HRC’s Lecuona teammate Xavi Vierge was 10th with 1.348s and Oscar Gutierrez (Team Pedercini Racing) was 19th with 2.496s.

FP1 classification

1. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’41.396
2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 0.535
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 0s 595
4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 0.646
5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) 0.717
6. Andrea Locatelli (Brix’s Pata Yamaha) 0.747
……
10. Xabi Bierge (Team HRC) 1,348
19. Oscar Gutierrez (Team Pedercini Racing) 2,496