Free Practice 3 at the Autodrom Most on Saturday morning was super important; a fully dry session on the first of two race days gave valuable information to all riders as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship gears up for round eight. The final Free Practice session of the Acerbis Czech Round welcomed an array of riders at the top throughout the 30 minutes session but in the end, it was Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) who led the way.

It was a frantic session with 90 seconds to go, as riders put in fast laps. Garrett Gerloff was on a mission and went top at different points of the session. Despite Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) charging up the order and being briefly ahead of the American, Gerloff responded and the 27-year-old took top spot despite not being fastest in any of the individual sectors. Redding clinched second for a surprising BMW 1-2, whilst 2021 World Champion Razgatlioglu – who is the most successful rider at the Czech venue with four wins – was third, just 0.073s adrift. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) made it formation flying for Yamaha, one place behind his teammate, whilst Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was top Ducati in P5.

Making it three BMW M 1000 RRs inside the top six, Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was in good form as the BMW looked to be working in the cooler morning temperatures. We could be set for one of the most unpredictable grids of the season. Having been top for much of the first part of the session, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) looked silky smooth on his way to P7. In eighth, there was reason to smile as Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was inside the top ten, giving Honda some promise ahead of Tissot Superpole. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) took ninth, whilst it was Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in tenth and the lead factory Ducati, one place ahead of struggling teammate Alvaro Bautista.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was mired down in 14^th but still top Kawasaki, with it unlikely that he or Bautista really put in a true time attack. After a mechanical issue caused a crash yesterday, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was back in action but down in 18^th.

Top six after WorldSBK FP3, full results here:

1. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’31.689s 

2. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.007s

3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.073s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.224s

5. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) +0.268s

6. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) +0.337s

Watch every moment from Most in 2023 LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

As the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship hurtles towards the mid-season, it’s the last chance for riders to impress and to put themselves in the shop window for 2024 before decisions are made during this summer break. One of those seats is the second Aruba.it Racing – Ducati bike, where Michael Ruben Rinaldi – the current rider – seems to be in a battle with WorldSSP Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) to be Alvaro Bautista’s WorldSBK teammate. We have the latest below. Get a full silly season update here!

RINALDI VS BULEGA: the RED-hot seat for 2024, but who is the favourite?

Speaking about the difference of the 500rpm decrease and how it impacts Ducati at Most, Rinaldi said: “We are losing compared to last year on the exit of the turns. We tried with the electronics to give more power, but there is not too much to do. So, we’ll try to understand which is the better way, but for sure on that side, we are struggling compared to last year. I don’t know what the solution can be but actually, I don’t know if I’ll be here, so it’s not my problem.”

Elaborating further about his future, the #21 stated: “I don’t know yet. I’m quiet for now and we’ll see what’s going to happen. From Ducati, there’s no rush to sign and they haven’t said to me yes or no. We are working to see what our other options can be in case they tell me ‘no’. Last year, we decided in September, which was too late, as I didn’t have another seat available. This year, I tried to find a solution before and for sure I’ll try to stay with this family. However, at this moment, I’m peaceful and I just want to ride the bike and find a good feeling with that.”

Talking in his interview yesterday, Bulega was coy on his future once more, but wasn’t stressed by it either: “Nothing; I just want to stay focused on my Championship as now, it’s the most important. The future is also important but I just want to focus on the present and let my manager and the team do their work.” Previously, Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall’Igna stated that Bulega, who has taken part in various Ducati Panigale V4 R tests, was “quite fast”, whilst Stefano Cecconi, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team principal, said it “makes sense” to see Bulega in WorldSBK for 2024 and that is “regardless” of 2023’s end result in World Supersport.

RINALDI’S FUTURE: “I have something to give… if Ducati wants me, they’ll show me”

When discussing his future with a wider perspective, such as the possibility to move to MotoAmerica or elsewhere, Rinaldi shut it down, unequivocal in his desire to continue in WorldSBK: “At the moment, nobody asked me and my focus is to stay in the World Championship. I think I have something to give. I am not finishing 15th or 10th, I am always in the top five. I have something to give.”

Asked whether Rinaldi or his management were pushing Ducati to make a decision, the 26-year-old denied, and stated he only wants to ride where he’s welcome: “We’re not pushing; I want to race and ride in a team where I’m welcome and not in a team where I am not. If Ducati wants me, they will show me; if not, it’s OK and we’ll see what are the other options. Thank you.”

“HE DESERVES A CHANCE” – Rinaldi and Bautista on growing Bulega rumours

With Nicolo Bulega being one rider linked to be on Rinaldi’s bike for 2024, he gave his thoughts on that too: “I think that on Ducati’s side, it can be a move that is normal and for sure, I wouldn’t be upset. It’s normal that a young guy like Nicolo deserves a chance; I think that for him, it could be risky to go straight to a factory seat but if I was in his shoes, I’d do it because who says no to a factory team?”

Teammate Alvaro Bautista likewise shared his thoughts: “I read the rumours last week; I think Bulega is a nice rider and he’s very fast, doing well in WorldSSP. For sure, he wants to go to WorldSBK next year but I don’t know where or with which team. He deserves an opportunity to come to WorldSBK and show his potential.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) showed impressive speed and consistency on Day 1 of the Acerbis Czech Round as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship headed east from Italy. A mixed-conditions Free Practice 1 limited running for the entire field at the Autodrom Most but Free Practice 2 was completely dry, with Petrucci taking full advantage to claim third place in the standings and finished as the lead Ducati rider.

The #9 complete only five laps in a rain-affected FP1 session which started wet but dried out towards the end of the 45-minute session. Petrucci was 20^th in the morning session with a best time of 1’49.656s – it was 16 seconds down on Scott Redding’s (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) best time, with Petrucci’s fastest lap set around 13 minutes into the session. He last returned to his box after 17 minutes, with the Italian not leaving the pits after this moment.

However, in FP2, the two-time MotoGP™ winner was one of the busiest riders as he set 19 laps across three stints. His speed gradually increased with every run. His first stint was a five-lap run – not including our or in laps – with his times in the 1’34s bracket before improving into the 1’33s (his last time in this run was a 1’40.308s). The second was shorter but, again, Petrucci was finding pace with every lap that passed as he went from a 1’34.250s on the opening lap to a 1’33.336s on his last flying lap.

However, the third stint is where Petrucci’s pace and consistency was really on display. He completed six flying laps in this period with five of them in the 1’32s bracket. The slowest representative time was a 1’32.971s – again, the first lap of the run – before he improved to a 1’32.498s and then found more time with a 1’32.471s. Despite the times slowing for the final two representative laps – a 1’32.747s and 1’32.778s – the rookie was able to display incredible consistency in the sole dry session on Friday.

Discussing his Friday, the one-time WorldSBK podium finisher said: “It was a bit of a worry this morning because I had no chance to ride, and the conditions were really tricky. It was raining and then not. In the afternoon, the conditions were quite good. Even if it’s my first day with a Superbike here, and we don’t have any data from last year, I just did a track day here. It’s really different! I need to get used to this track because it’s quite flowing. There’s no rest. I enjoyed today. I always had a good feeling when the asphalt is new. I’m not completely satisfied about the bike, but the lap time isn’t bad.”

He also responded to consistency and outlined his goals. The Ducati rider added: “It’s quite tough because the track is quite small and it’s physically demanding. In the end, I think I’m quite good with tyre management and I can be satisfied. I think I have more potential to explore in a single lap. The tyre allocation is quite different compared to other races. We still need some laps to understand them. I hope a front row is a realistic goal! I need to use all our experience, speed, and potential for that because it’s my weak point at the moment. Realistically, I think the first or second row can be a good target. Then, in the race, hopefully I can fight with the top guys.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Topping the opening day of action at the 2023 Acerbis Czech Round, the Autodrom Most’s most successful rider from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. Four wins mean this is Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) territory and with the pendulum swinging his way in a dramatic fashion after Imola, the Turkish star hopes he can close down the Championship lead even further before the summer break. That Championship leader is reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and whilst he was sixth, he wasn’t his usual self in what was a tricky opening day for the Spaniard. We caught up with both at the close of Friday action, to find out how their battle is shaping up.

HOW IT HAPPENED: elbows out in the wet from the start in FP1

FP1 started in wet conditions and there was a fruity moment on track between Razgatlioglu and Bautista, with the #54 barrelling through up the inside of the Ducati rider at Turn 15, catching the defending Champion by surprise. As the session went on, Toprak was briefly on top before being pipped by Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), whilst Bautista didn’t set a time in the drying final ten minutes of the session, being stuck down in P17.

Nevertheless, it was a slightly different afternoon session as the rain abated and the sun tried to peak through the clouds overhead. Razgatlioglu fired in plenty of fast times on his final run to go top by just 0.012s ahead of fellow Yamaha rider Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), whereas Bautista couldn’t challenge at the front and was the fourth Ducati home, finishing sixth overall. It also seemed that the #1 had technical issues, missing a lot of the opening part of FP2.

IN HIS OWN WORDS: “I felt good with the bike and also confident”

Talking about his first day at Most, Razgatlioglu – who is 70 points behind Bautista in the title race – shared his day one experience: “First, I want to say that I’m very happy to come back to Most again as I like this track! The wet conditions weren’t so bad, I felt good with the bike and also confident. After, it was dry and I did one lap, but Scott did a very good job. In FP2, we were still working for a good setup on the bike as everyone uses the hard tyre, especially here. It doesn’t look bad, but we’re still working. In the wet, the feeling is better as I remember in FP3 two years ago, I felt good grip here immediately and today, I went fast straight away. After four years, I’m starting to feel confident! Both conditions are OK, no problem.”

Fast through sectors one and two, the second half of the lap, particularly sector four, seems to be causing issues, which Razgatlioglu explained: “The problem was in Turn 18 and Turn 19, as I was feeling the bike spinning a lot and the acceleration isn’t good. We’re still working to try and find a good setup. In the first two sectors, the corners are slower and I am strong, but in three and four… three isn’t bad but sector four, I’m very bad. We need to improve there because of the spinning and the acceleration, as the lap time isn’t coming.

“We’ll see tomorrow and I hope that we improve in the last sector. We did a good job through the rest of the lap, but the pace is going to be very important this weekend. My pace doesn’t look bad but if we improve in the final sector, it can be better than the others. I’m confident, feeling good but if we improve a little bit more, then we can feel much better but in general, right now, I’m happy for the first day.”

BAUTISTA UNHAPPY ON DAY 1: “It wasn’t the best Friday… we have almost everything to do for tomorrow”

Elsewhere in the red corner, Bautista’s first day was evaluated and he detailed the difficulties endured throughout day one: “Today has been difficult for us; in the morning, the track conditions were tricky, not ready for wet or slick tyres. I didn’t do a lot of laps. In the afternoon, on the first lap, I had an issue with the bike with the pressure of the oil. The engine we used today was very well used with a lot of kilometres, and there was something strange with the oil pressure. In the end, we lost a lot of time in the box. Anyway, I got some laps and a reference. It wasn’t the best Friday but tomorrow’s another day and I’m confident that it will be better.”

When asked about to improve on Saturday and what is on the agenda to do so, Bautista was clear that there’s a lot to get through: “We have almost everything to do for tomorrow; Pirelli brought the new tyres and nobody had a reference with them. Today, our target was just to compare the tyres we know and the new ones, but in the end, we couldn’t. Tomorrow, I don’t know if we’ll have time in FP3 because the weather conditions will be different to today. We’ll try our best anyway; the setup of the bike wasn’t perfect today as we didn’t have so much time on the track and I didn’t feel comfortable, so we’ll change some items and improve the feeling. Tomorrow, we’ll start from zero. I hope for good weather tomorrow as we have a lot of work to do.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it WorldSSP Racing Team) was the rider to beat on Friday in the FIM Supersport World Championship, but his rivals kept the pressure on him at the Autodrom Most, with title challenge Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) seventh after losing a quicker lap time after it was set under yellow flags. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was once again shining brightly as took second place on Day 1 of the Acerbis Czech Round.

ADVANTAGE BULEGA ON FRIDAY: Championship leader on top, Manzi loses lap

Bulega topped Free Practice 1 in the morning and improved his lap time in FP2 as he edged closer to – but didn’t quite match or beat – the race lap record at Most. His best lap time was a 1’35.264s as he secured top spot with the Italian looking to prevent title rival Manzi from building up more momentum after his Imola double. Manzi dropped down the order in the final few minutes before he set a 1’35.452s and provisionally moved to P2 and only 0.186s behind Bulega. Manzi’s time, however, was deleted as he set it under yellow flags after a Turn 20 crash for Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team); his best official time, a 1’35.669s, good enough for P7. Manzi losing his best time promoted Huertas back into second place after posting a 1’35.483s and Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) into third.

A SHAKE UP IN THE ORDER? riders impress at the sharp end

Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was the lead Yamaha rider on Friday as he took P4, comfortable enjoying one of his best days of his rookie campaign. He lapped around three tenths off Bulega’s best time and was 0.060s ahead of Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). The Italian surged up the order after setting a 1’35.629s with just a few minutes left in the 45-minute session. It was also a good day for Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) as he secured a spot in the top six after posting a 1’35.656.

FIVE MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP TEN: a competitive weekend in store

Manzi took P7 and was around four tenths off Bulega’s time but will know there’s more to come after a faster lap time was deleted, while two Triumphs and an MV Agusta ensured five of the six manufacturers in WorldSSP were in the top ten. Niki Tuuli (TPR Triumph) led teammate Ondrej Vostatek after the Czech rider showed impressive speed on his return to the Championship. He was 0.024s ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) with the Barcelona Race 1 winner completing the top ten. His teammate, Marcel Schroetter, was directly behind in 11^th.

HOUSEKEEPING: a red-flagged FP2 session

The session was red flagged with just over 20 minutes to go for safety conditions shortly after a crash for French rider Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) at Turn 13. The Frenchman was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the incident, where he was declared fit with a left leg and ankle contusion. There were a couple of other crashes in FP2. Yuta Okaya (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) went down at Turn 20 and completed only six laps, with the Japanese rookie classified in 29^th. Tom Edward (Yart – Yamaha WorldSSP Team) went down at Turn 15 and he was 16^th in the standings.

The top six from WorldSSP Friday action, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’35.266s

2. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.217s

3. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +0.251s

4. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.303s

5. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.363s

6. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.390s

Don’t miss WorldSSP’s Tissot Superpole session on Saturday at 10:25 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

After what has been a tricky season at times, particularly the last two rounds which have been challenging new tracks to learn, Australian rookie Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) enjoyed a fantastic Friday at the Autodrom Most. Day one of the Acerbis Czech Round was certainly a jumbled up one with inclement weather persisting, but the 2021 Moto2™ World Champion was strong in both wet and dry conditions.

The day started in a positive way for the #87, who is tackling the fast and flowing Czech circuit for the first time in his career. He was briefly top in FP1 during the wet conditions, before finishing fifth and was second-best Independent behind teammate Dominique Aegerter. However, with a completely dry session in the afternoon, Gardner once again showed good strength and looked like his time would be good enough for top spot, only to miss out by 0.012s to fellow Yamaha rider Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK). A total of 35 laps were set by Gardner, more than anyone else in the top five and he was also fastest in the fourth sector, ironically where his Turkish Yamaha colleague struggled. It’s hard to read into too much of his race pace, with times not consistently in the 1’32s – his next best time after his 1’32.379 was a 1’33.193 on his final flying lap.

Speaking about a Friday to be happy about, Gardner spoke of his day one: “It’s been a bit of a complicated day with the weather. We started FP1 in the wet; we had pretty good feelings and we got a few dry laps in at the end. FP2 was fully dry which was good. It’s my second time here but I don’t really remember the first time “It was in 2016 with Tasca Racing on my Moto2™ bike. It was my first time I came here since then but, honestly, I don’t really remember the track. I’ve done a lot of racing since then. We have to work; I’m not completely comfortable with the bike yet but we’re fast out of the box which is good.”

Attention then turned to his tyre choice, but a big moment on the front at Turn 2 knocked his confidence: “It’s not bad on the first two runs. This was a used tyre from FP1. We put on a new tyre on for the third run. We then used the SC2 on the front, the hard tyre, and it was fine for two laps but, after that, I lost the front at Turn 2 and managed to save it. I didn’t have a really good feeling on the front after this. It was difficult to keep the lap times but, even so, I could’ve been high 32s or low 33s. We need to improve the front end feeling and probably we will use the SC1.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The Autodrom Most welcomes the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock and it was a momentous Friday for the Acerbis Czech Round. After a wet FP1, all eyes were on FP2 with a fully dry session in prospect. Making hay whilst the sun shone, albeit behind a lot of cloud, was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK). However, with 15 riders covered by less than a second, it could all change at a moment’s notice.

MOMENTUM CONTINUES: Razgatlioglu stars on Friday

With just over eight minutes left to go, Toprak Razgatlioglu went top and took half a second out of the best time of the day at that point, showcasing his pace at a track where he is the most successful rider at. Two flying laps later and he went half a tenth quicker, whilst Italian teammate Andrea Locatelli elevated himself from outside the top ten into P2 momentarily but finished up in P7. Razgatlioglu however was on top come the end of Friday, as the momentum continues to be in his corner.

INDEPENDENT STRENGTH: Gardner, Petrucci and Bassani fly high in top five

The Independent riders were in mighty form at Most on Friday, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) only 0.012s adrift of Razgatlioglu’s top time. The Australian’s first weekend at Most seems to be off to a good start, with the #87 looking competitive in the dry FP2 and in the wetter FP1. Behind him, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) is another rookie tackling the Czech track for the first time, and he was P3 and just over a tenth away from Toprak on top. He was also top Ducati, something he’ll be keen to hold onto through the weekend. Then, in P5, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) is straight from his Imola success and on the pace at round eight. In P8 despite a crash, Gardner’s teammate Dominique Aegerter was looking strong, making it four Independent stars inside the top eight and in the thick of the action.

BAUTISTA ONLY SIXTH: plenty of places between the #1 and his title rival

12 months ago, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took victory at Most and in doing so, delivered Ducati’s 1000^th podium and this weekend, he’s on the edge of an 18^th win of the season, which will be a new record. However, he struggled on day one at Most; he sat out the dry end to the session and was left in 17^th, whilst in FP2, he was sixth and the fourth Ducati. It seemed like the #1 had a technical issue, missing the first part of the session. His teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, knows how important this weekend is in terms of his future, with a good result needed before the summer break. Rinaldi took the flag in fourth as he chases a return to the podium.

BMW’S FRIDAY: strong in the wet, van der Mark returns with crash in FP2

Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) may have topped a far from ideal FP1 but found himself down in P9 after the fully dry FP2, with the BMW riders reportedly struggling with the new hard rubber this weekend. However, his afternoon was better than teammate Michael van der Mark’s, as the #60 was last after suffering a dramatic crash at Turn 10. Unfortunately, his bike wasn’t able to be get back to pitlane as it ended up on the outside of the circuit and not on the side of pitlane, meaning the Dutchman lost 40 minutes of desperately-needed track time. It’s going to be a big Saturday back in action.

KAWASAKI IN TROUBLE? Rea the best in P10

With 12 minutes left on the clock, it was a Kawasaki 1-2 as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) led teammate Alex Lowes at the Autodrom Most, with the dry session seeing times right on the pace. Kawasaki have never won at Most before and Rea hasn’t won in 2023, but despite the strong times, it didn’t seem that a time attack was put to the test at the end of the session. For teammate Lowes, he suffered a crash at Turn 2 but was all OK, got the bike back to the pits and got back out within five minutes. When he got back out, he crashed again, this time at Turn 10, so another slow-speed spill but untimely with three minutes to go. At the end of the session and thus on the combined times, Rea was in 10th and Lowes took 11th.
 

HONDA DOWN FIELD AGAIN: Lecuona and Vierge 13^th and 16^th respectively

Once again, Honda struggled on Friday as Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) only managed to finish in 13^th, whilst teammate Xavi Vierge took 16^th at the end of the session. Honda were probably the one team that could’ve done with fully dry running all day as they fight to get back into contention after what has been a torrid few rounds; Lecuona’s 13^th-best lap time was however less than three quarters of a second away from Razgatlioglu’s top time. There’s work to do for Honda at Most.

FURTHER DOWN: Gerloff and Baz outside the top ten

Just ahead of Lecuona was Garrett Gerloff in 12^th, at Most with BMW for the first time; he suffered a run-off in sector three at the start of FP2 but was OK. Teammate Loris Baz took 14^th and was upside inside the top five at one point as his future hangs in the balance. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was 15^th, whilst Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) took 17^th. Home-hero Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was 18^th and up in ninth place after FP1, whilst Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Isaac Vinales (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) completed the top 20.

THE REST OF THE ORDER: Soomer ahead of Tamburini

‘Baltic Bullet’ Hannes Soomer (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) was back in action in the WorldSBK paddock and despite a big highside in FP1 at the final corner, he got back out and was a respectable 2.6s off the pace of Toprak at the head of the field. Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) suffered a technical issue in pitlane, meaning his handful of laps left him in 22^nd, whilst Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) crashed at Turn 17 and was taken to the medical centre for a check-up, where he was declared fit.

Top six after WorldSBK’s opening day at Most, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 1’32.367s

2. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.012s

3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.104s

4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.193s

5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +0.244s

6. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.287s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Home hero Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) topped the Friday times in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship as dry conditions greeted the riders in the afternoon. After a wet track in Free Practice 1, Svoboda took full advantage of the dry circuit in Free Practice 2 to top the times at the Autodrom Most for the Acerbis Czech Round as he looks to get his Championship challenge back on track at his home circuit.

CZECH REPUBLIC ON TOP: can Svoboda restart his title challenge?

With the track dry in FP2, every rider improved their time compared to FP1. Svoboda set a 1’46.492s in the closing stages of the 30-minute practice session to strike first at his home round, with Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) in second and 0.252s slower than his rival. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) bounced back from an FP1 crash, where he didn’t set a lap time, to secure third, in FP2 after posting a 1’47.122s. Svoboda and Perez Gonzalez were the only two riders in the 1’46s bracket.

IMPRESSING ON DEBUT: Mahendra stuns on Friday

Wildcard Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) was impressive on his WorldSSP300 debut as he took fourth, 0.767s down on Svoboda’s fastest time. Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was fifth as two KTM riders finished in the top five at a circuit the Austrian manufacturer have traditionally gone well at, while Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) completed the top six. He was 0.898s off the pace.

ALL TO PLAY FOR: nothing set in stone at Most…

Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) was seventh and missed out on a spot in the top six by just 0.009s, with less than a second covering the top ten in what is set up to be an unpredictable weekend. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) was eighth after posting a 1’47.419s with Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) and Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) rounding out the top ten; Seabright had been second in the wet FP1 session.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from FP2

Debutant Krittapat Keankum (Arco Motor University Team) and Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) were involved in a Turn 10 crash which ended their session early, with Keankum taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash. Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) crashed in the closing stages of FP2 when he came down at Turn 2. The Mexican was classified in 22^nd place.

WHAT HAPPENED IN WET FP1? Perez Gonzalez on top, Geiger crashes

Spanish rider Perez Gonzalez put the Accolade Smrz Racing BGR squad on top in FP1 in the wet conditions, lapping more than a second clear of his rivals. Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) was another who mastered the tricky wet conditions, with FP1 starting on a damp track without rain before it started to fall as the session concluded, with rookie Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) in third. The trio were the only riders to lap under the two-minute barrier, while home hero Svoboda was fifth. Championship leader Geiger crashed out on his out lap and didn’t set a lap time.

The top six from WorldSSP300 action on Friday, full results here:

1. Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) 1’46.492

2. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) + 0.252

3. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) 0.630s

4. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.767s

5. Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.864s

6. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.898s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The eighth round of the 2023 FIM Supersport World Championship got underway on Friday morning in very contrasting conditions to anything that had been seen throughout the rest of the morning. After wet sessions for WorldSBK and WorldSSP300, the best conditions of the morning track action were reserved for WorldSSP, with it being perfectly dry. At the front, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was the rider to beat, setting a 1’35.437.

Championship leader Bulega is keen to strike back after giving up ground at Imola last time out, and he started out as he means to go on at Most, with a 1’35.437 being the best time, less than a second off the lap record as the track rubbered in and four tenths ahead of the opposition. Second place went to another Ducati as Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) aims to hit good form before the summer break ensues. Rider in form Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was third and looks to make it a hat-trick of victories on the spin in his quest to close down Bulega in the title race. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) also continued his strong showings, taking fourth and was top Kawasaki, ahead of Dutchman Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team).

Outside the top five and in sixth place, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) adapts to Most on a WorldSSP machine for the first time, whilst back in action following his Imola crash, Niki Tuuli (PTR Triumph) was seventh. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was in eighth place, ahead of Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) by just 0.001s, whilst home-hero Ondrej Vostatek (PTR Triumph) was something of a revelation in P10, deputising for the injured Harry Truelove and showcasing his and the Triumph’s strengths at his home round. Outside the top ten, Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) was only 12^th, with Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 14^th, both split by Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), the top WorldSSP Challenge rider in P13. Making his debut in the class, Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was 25^th.

Top six after WorldSSP FP1 at Most, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 1’35.437s

2. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.421s

3. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.494s

4. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) +0.556s

5. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +0.722s

6. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.962s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Round eight of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship from the Autodrom Most is underway, although the Acerbis Czech Round was wet for the first 35 minutes of action. The first rider to fit slick tyres to his bike after the wet majority of the session, Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) initially went top and was the first rider to set the trend for slicks with ten minutes to go. However, with the rain now gone and slicks being used by everyone, times tumbled and were heading for something slightly more relative.

The last 60 seconds of FP1 were arguably the most action-packed of the season in terms of Free Practice, with Redding improving his outright fastest lap time with his final flying lap being a 1’33.926, pipping Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), as the two rivals from the past two years at Most occupy the top two slots after FP1. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) completed the top three with three different manufacturers at the front. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is as close to home as he gets and the Swiss rider was fourth, whilst his Australian teammate, Remy Gardner, was fifth on his Most debut.

The top half-dozen was rounded out with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in P6, making it four Yamahas inside that top six, whilst Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was the top Ducati in seventh. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) led the way for Honda in eighth, one place ahead of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth. Brazilian rider Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) completed the top ten on his WorldSBK Most debut. There was a crash for Granado’s stand-in teammate Hannes Soomer at the final corner, with a dramatic highside but he was OK. Making his comeback from injury, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a tentative return to action with just four laps set in the tricky conditions; he’ll be reviewed again after FP2.

Top six after WorldSBK FP1 at Most below, full results here:

1. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’33.926s

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.644s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.743s

4. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +1.425s

5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +2.090s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +2.155s

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Source: WorldSBK.com