The FIM Supersport World Championship burst back into action on Friday at the iconic and historic TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round and there was nothing to separate the top two in the timesheets at the end of Friday’s action. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) led the way in both Free Practice 2 and the combined classification, finishing just 0.005s clear of Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team).

TOO CLOSE TO CALL: Oncu just leads the way…

Oncu posted a best time of 1’37.951s, coming in the closing stages of FP2, on his Kawasaki ZX-6R to finish on top of the timesheets as he finished ahead of five Italian riders. In second was Bulega who posted s 1’37.596s to finish only 0.005s behind Oncu. Bulega had initially gone fastest before Oncu pipped the Championship leader. The pair had a gap of more than half-a-second to third-placed Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) in third place, with the Italian racing for the first time in WorldSSP since he sustained injuries in Australia. Montella’s best time was a 1’38.172s.

A FIERCE FIGHT BUILDING: unpredictable action ahead

Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) took fourth spot courtesy of his 1’38.225s set in FP2 as he, like all riders, go in search of a strong result at the start of the European part of the season. He finished ahead of Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in fifth place, with Manzi’s day coming to a premature end after he crashed at Turn 10 in Free Practice 2. His best time was a 1’38.316s, set in the opening session of the day, to finish ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) in sixth place.

A DISRUPTED DAY: crashes but strong pace

Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was seventh at the end of the day but he, like Manzi, had a disrupted day. Navarro was caught out when Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) crashed exiting the chicane in the early stages of FP1 with both riders going down and the red flags being deployed. Navarro returned to the track in FP1 but, in FP2, had another crash at Turn 10 which interrupted his running in the afternoon. Navarro was able to take P7 with a best time of 1’38.433s while Bayliss was 29^th and four seconds down on Oncu’s pace.

Eighth place belonged to Finnish rider Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) as he lapped 0.854s slower than Oncu in the combined classification, while Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was ninth after setting a 1’38.520s. Huertas is making his comeback from injuries sustained in a crash involving Montella at Phillip Island and he was able to finish ahead of home hero Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) in tenth place. The Dutchman’s best time was a 1’38.532s set in Free Practice 2.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 15: closing in on a place in the top ten

Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was the fastest MV Agusta rider in 11^th place with teammate Marcel Schroetter in 12^th with the two teammates separated by only 0.004s as they look to break into the top ten. French rider Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) was 13^th ahead of Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) in 14^th; Booth-Amos was the highest-placed WorldSSP Challenge rider on Friday at Assen. Apiwath Wongthananon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) rounded out the top 15 with a best time of 1’39.610s, less than a tenth slower than Booth-Amos.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP

The session was disrupted by a red flag which was shown when a piece of the fairing came off Alvaro Diaz’s (Arco Yart Yamaha WorldSSP) Yamaha YZF R6 machine at the final chicane. It was a brief red flag to allow a marshal to pick up the debris before the session resumed a few minutes later. Diaz’s first day in WorldSSP was limited in running after issues in FP1, with the reigning WorldSSPP300 Champion finishing in 30^th place with a best time of 1’42.576s, while fellow WorldSSP rookie Yuta Okaya (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) was 27^th on his WorldSSP debut.

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

1. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’37.591s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.005s

3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.581s

4. Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +0.634s

5. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.725s

6. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +0.749s

Don’t miss any action from WorldSSP at Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Back in action, the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well and truly up and running on European soil and it’s the home round for Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). The Dutchman was top BMW on the opening day in sixth place and was just over half a second away from the top spot, giving him reason to be pleased as he aims for the podium on Saturday and Sunday to give the home fans something to cheer about.

Setting an impressive 42 laps, more than any other BMW rider, van der Mark went about his business on a track he knows like the back of his hand and was right in touch. After a positive test in Barcelona – where the BMW outfit brought four different swingarms to trial – van der Mark continued to demonstrate his good feeling with the M 1000 RR at Assen, placing ahead of both factory Yamahas of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu, as well as being right on the pace of the top five, just two tenths adrift.

Always strong at home, van der Mark said: “I think at the end, we finished quite good. In FP1, I didn’t like the feeling with the bike and wasn’t really enjoying it; I felt fast but I wasn’t. In FP2, we changed quite a lot on the bike and I immediately felt better with more confidence. I started on used tyres and was doing the same lap times as this morning, then we put a different rear tyre in and was quite happy with it. I was having more fun, therefore riding smoother and that’s what you have to do at this circuit. Honestly, I’d like a dry track; I think we could do really well. In the wet, it’s always tricky.”
 

His track record is pretty solid at Assen, with it being the place where he got a debut podium in his rookie 2015 campaign, with third place in Race 1, repeated in Race 2 on Honda machinery. Another podium in 2016 for Honda came in Race 2 before a switch to Yamaha in 2017 saw him fourth. In 2018 however, the podium magic was back for Mikey, as a second and third at home helped him to third overall in the Championship. He was second again in 2019 in Race 2, beating Jonathan Rea on a run to the line on the final lap. Since joining BMW in 2021, he’s yet to take a podium, with a best result of fourth coming in Race 1 in 2021; injured last year on his return from a broken leg, van der Mark was heroic in eighth in Race 2.

Enjoy all of 2023’s action in style LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returned to action at the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round and it was a strong Friday for the Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK squad with Alex Lowes in second place and Jonathan Rea in third. The pair were two tenths away from Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at the top of the timesheets as they enjoyed a strong Friday and will be looking to convert that into race wins and podiums at the iconic Assen circuit.

Lowes was the faster of the two in Friday’s combined classification as he posted a 1’34.547s to finish as the lead Kawasaki rider, finishing 0.026s clear of teammate and six-time Champion Jonathan Rea in third place. Lowes completed 39 laps across both Friday sessions while Rea completed 35 laps as Kawasaki continue to hunt for performance to close the gap to Bautista and Ducati in the Championship standings, starting at a circuit where Rea has won at on 17 occasions.

In FP2, Lowes’ longest stint was a 11-lap run at the start of the session where he consistently posted lap times in the 1’34s and 1’35s brackets, while Rea’s longest run was an eight-lap stint and he, like Lowes, posted times in the 1’34s and 1’35s bracket. It was a strong start to the weekend for both Kawasaki riders and, after, both were able to give their thoughts on whether Assen could be a turning point for Kawasaki in the early stages of the season.

Discussing Friday, Rea said: “Really solid, we evaluated the tyre options, both front and rear, but I didn’t find a combination that works well with our bike in the end after some trial and error. There are some plusses and minuses to some options so after a compromise, we put the right set together, not fresh but a very old front tyre, but it’s working well. The bike is working well from this morning, it was in line and on rails and actually, we didn’t touch the bike so much today. We just have some electronic things to dial out. In the afternoon, the wind picked up and change direction a little bit so going through the fast kink on the back straight coming back to the paddock, it was so scary! Every time I tipped in there; my balls were in my mouth! It was good fun, but you don’t want to go down there as you’re going fast. It definitely kept me awake during the session! Hopefully the wind drops a little bit tomorrow and focus on putting a race together.

“We expected to be stronger here than the first two rounds, at a circuit that’s a bit more normal, with a good reference from the past and also the temperature is cooler. If everything goes together, we have more chance to be competitive; I didn’t expect to have the rhythm that I had, and I think we can improve still. Tomorrow is what counts with Superpole and the race, proved at Phillip Island and Mandalika as Superpole is everything. There’re so many fast guys in the top ten but you need good track position on the first lap because if your rivals get ahead, then you’re stuck in traffic and the race is over. We’ll put a lot of emphasis in Superpole to set a fast lap; the target is getting on the front row.”

Lowes also discussed his Friday where he finished in second place with the British rider alluding to the cooler conditions at Assen, compared to the first two rounds in Australia and Indonesia, helping Kawasaki. He also revealed some changes to his ZX-10RR to change his position on the bike in order to not stress the front tyre too much, which could help him in the latter stages of races when tyres are older.

Lowes said: “It was good. In these colder conditions, we always expect to be quite strong on the Kawasaki; the track offers a lot of grip and we can really use the advantages of our bike which are stopping and turning the bike on the front. It’s a pleasure to ride at Assen. It’s a track I know very well, and I’ve always enjoyed it, always gone well here. It was a little bit better than expected. I was able to do the lap times, it’s never easy, but I was feeling quite good. I used one set of tyres this morning, one this afternoon. We tried SC0 this morning and I felt quite good with the SC0. For the afternoon, I knew we’d make a good step and I felt good straight away. We changed my riding position at the Montmelo test a few weeks ago. I’m a bit further back on the bike and I felt some benefits with it. I’ve had to take some time to get used to it but there’s less stress on the front tyre which is something we’ve been struggling with at Kawasaki, not just me, in the first two rounds.”

Can Kawasaki bounce back at Assen? Watch the Dutch Round in style using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well underway and back in action at the Pirelli Ditch Round and the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands. It’s shaping up to be a belting weekend and with a myriad of protagonists, there remains one rider to be beaten. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was on top by nearly a quarter of a second going into Saturday, but don’t discount his rivals just yet.

DUCATI VS KAWASAKI: Bautista heads Lowes and Rea, Rinaldi with radiator issues

Like in FP1, it was Alvaro Bautista who topped the running in the afternoon and his pace was quite simply relentless. 22 laps with multiple in the low-to-mid 1’34s, the reigning World Champion was in fine form as he placed Ducati on the top step. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi’s day was marred with front-end set-up not quite being refined to his liking in FP1 and he finished down in 14^th, before a technical issue halted progress in FP2’s opening stages with steam radiating from the Ducati Panigale V4 R. A burst pipe to the radiator was the cause, with coolant leaking out. The bike returned to the garage with 30 minutes to go and with 22 minutes left, he was back out on track. However, he returned, clearly uncomfortable with his right wrist.

First Kawasaki on the timesheets was Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the #22 getting to grips with the Assen track like in many years previous with a front row last year and his only career pole coming back in 2018. Teammate Jonathan Rea was the last rider to improve his overall time and took third in the session and overall. The most successful rider at the circuit, with 17 wins to his name, will hope to make further steps and also cross his fingers that temperatures don’t rise come the first of two race days tomorrow. Two Kawasakis inside the top three is a positive start to the weekend for the team in green.

YAMAHA BATTLE: Aegerter and Gardner ahead of Locatelli and Razgatlioglu

Once again, the Independent riders were in mighty form and it was the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team who were fourth and fifth and therefore best Yamahas. Double WorldSSP Champion Dominique Aegerter was fourth and set the second-highest amount of laps throughout the session, whilst it was teammate Remy Gardner in fifth place, having been third in the morning session. Both riders were looking comfortable aboard their R1s and with plenty of experience at the Dutch venue, they’ll be keen to strike on Saturday in both the Superpole and the opening race of the weekend.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) always goes well at Assen and 2023 looks like no exception, having been inside the top five in the morning and continuing to look strong in the afternoon. The Italian concluded in eighth place in the end, not the most representative of his race pace potential. After a minor electronic problem for Toprak Razgatlioglu in FP1, as well as the Turkish rider getting back used to WorldSBK machinery after his MotoGP™ test, the 26-year-old was out on track in FP2 and setting solid lap times. Assen hasn’t bared the best of luck in recent years for Razgatlioglu but he was looking good in FP2, finishing in… He did have an encounter with a crocodile however – don’t worry, not a real one – as an inflatable made its way onto the circuit, bringing out a brief red flag.

BMW HEAD HONDA: van der Mark shines as Honda struggle

For BMW, it was very much a day of two halves as Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was up in fifth in FP1 but outside the top ten in FP2, down in… Teammate Michael van der Mark was P11 in the morning and was fastest BMW in the afternoon too, up inside the top five with less than ten minutes to go and then ended up in sixth overall. Redding did improve up to 12^th in the closing stages, although he’ll be hoping for more. Both used different swingarms during the morning session too, with that being one of the major topics coming to Assen after four different swingarms were seen at the recent Barcelona test.

After a strong round in 2022, it was somewhat surprising to see Honda barely trouble the top ten on day one, with Iker Lecuona being the best Honda in only 13^th. Teammate Xavi Vierge didn’t feature either, with him a place further back in 14^th. Certainly work to do for both of the Hondas, with Lecuona a podium finisher last year at Assen and Vierge on the rostrum last time out. Both riders also had successful tests at Aragon and Barcelona during the break.

ROUNDING OUT THE RUNNING: big names further back, Baz returns

Elsewhere in the order, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) took P11, whilst Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was 15^th and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), on his full-time debut, was 17^th. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) returned to action but a mechanical issue in the morning kept his track time limited, but he was back out in FP2 in full attack mode; he concluded the day in 18^th, ahead of Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team), Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha), Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing), Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) and Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing), with the latter in action for the first time this year.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Day one of 2023 for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship concluded at the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round with very little to separate the field after Friday’s two practice sessions. Three tenths were all that kept the top six apart in the combined classification as Italian rider Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) topped the times with a late lap in Free Practice 2 as he topped the times in both FP2 as well as the combined classification.

LEAVING IT LATE: Vannucci moves to the top

Vannucci posted a 1’45.529s on his final lap to move into top spot for the day’s action as he finished three tenths clear of Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) in second with the Spanish rider also leaving it late to post his best time. It meant the pair leapfrogged Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) and demoted the French rider to third place after he soared to top spot with around seven minutes remaining in the session.

THREE MANUFACTURERS IN THE TOP FOUR: little to separate the field

German rider Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) took fourth spot as the lead KTM rider on Friday on his KTM RC 390 R machine, finishing less than a tenth ahead of Dutch rookie Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) in fifth. Veneman had enjoyed a strong first day in WorldSSP300, topping FP1 at one point, but he did have a Turn 11 crash in FP1 which disrupted his running. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) took sixth after enjoyed a strong Friday, finishing less than a tenth behind Perez Gonzalez in second.

UNPREDICTABLE WEEKEND IN STORE: showing strong pace on Friday

Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) was seventh in the combined classification, ahead of Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) as he finished as the second KTM rider on Friday. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse), who was inside the top three in FP1, took ninth in the standings at the end of the day’s action, ahead of Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Kawasaki) with the Spanish rider rounding out the top ten.

LEADING FP1, 11^TH OVERALL: 2020 Champion fastest in FP1

Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) was 11^th in the combined classification after being the highest-placed rider to not improve their lap time compared to FP1. His time, a 1’50.070s, was enough to top the first session but it was his fastest time of the day, taking 11^th overall. Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) was 12^th ahead of a trio of Italian riders: Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) in 13th, Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) in 14^th and Gabriele Mastroluca (Arco Motor University Team) who rounded out the top 15.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300

Kas Beekmans (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) took 19^th place after his day was interrupted by a crash in FP1 at Turn 5, while Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) was another rider who crashed; he came down at the end of FP1 at Turn 9. He finished 16^th in the combined classification. Shengjunjie Zhou (China Racing Team) was the last of the classified runners in 32^nd place, posting a best lap of 1’53.896s.

The top six following Friday WorldSSP300 action, full results here:

1. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) 1’49.529s

2. Jose Luis Perez (Accolade Smrz Racing) +0.284s

3. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.296s

4. Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.304s

5. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.318s

6. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) +0.332s

Don’t miss more WorldSSP300 action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Back in action in the Netherlands and the TT Circuit Assen, the FIM Supersport World Championship took to the track and got their FP1 banked on Friday afternoon. It was a dramatic start after a crash for Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) and Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) on the exit of the final chicane, bringing out the red flags. However, once action resumed, it was contrasting fortunes for the Dutch team, as Stefano Manzi powered to the top.

Leading the way for almost the entirety of the session, Manzi was on a mission from the start at a circuit at which he always goes well at. The Italian rider is looking at banking Ten Kate their 100^th WorldSSP win and his first of the season to strengthen his title charge. Second place honours went to the Championship leader, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The Italian finished second, one place ahead of Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in third, whilst Jorge Navarro recovered to P4 and gave Ten Kate Racing something to cheer about on the first day of their home round. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took top Kawasaki honours in P5.

Home-hero Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) took sixth place, ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing), who will hope for more after a promising opening couple of rounds. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) took eighth on his return, ahead of fellow countryman Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), whilst Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) was tenth. Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) was top WorldSSP Challenge rider in P11 and just over a second off the overall top spot in WorldSSP, whilst best Honda honours went to Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) in 22^nd. Alvaro Diaz (Arco Yart Yamaha WorldSSP) suffered technical issues in his first WorldSSP session and the reigning WorldSSP300 Champion didn’t set a time – along with Oli Bayliss, who didn’t return to the circuit.

Top six from WorldSSP FP1 at Assen below, full results here:

1. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 1’38.316s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.122s

3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.271s

4. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.501s

5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.541s

6. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +0.611s

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back in action at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands, with FP1 in the bag already at the Pirelli Dutch Round. Assen has always been a place where memories are made and classics are signed into the history books and after FP1, it looks like a big battle will await. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) improved his time with two minutes to go to cement his top time.

Bautista was competitive right the way through the session with the Spaniard inside the top three before going top with just ten minutes to go. He improved his time right at the end, getting the advantage over Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who looked back to his old self after a tricky start to 2023 in second. Top Independent honours went to the rider in third place, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the Australian rookie in mighty form from the off as he is back on a circuit he knows well. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was top factory Yamaha with fourth place, ahead of Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in fifth, making it four manufacturers inside the top five.

Sixth place went to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), with the Turkish rider aiming to reduce his near-seven tenth deficit to the top. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was shining in P7 ahead of Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Completing the top ten was four-time WorldSSP winner at Assen Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the Swiss rider making it four Yamahas inside the top ten.

It was a tricky session for the returning Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), with a technical problem halting his progress in his comeback round. Top Honda went to Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in P12, one place behind home-hero Michael van der Mark ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was only 14^th, whilst Bradley Ray’s (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) full-time debut saw him conclude in 18^th. Wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing) was 23^rd.

Top six after WorldSBK FP1 at Assen, full results here:

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’34.592s

2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.182s

3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.584s

4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.593s

5. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.654s

6. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.681s

Watch the 2023 WorldSBK season unfold with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 season for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship kicked off at the TT Circuit Assen with the Pirelli Dutch Round and it was a Dutch rider who led the way in Free Practice 1. 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) posted the fast time of the 30-minute session to start his return to the Championship in the perfect fashion as he went more than three tenths quicker than his rivals.

Buis was one of the last riders to hit the track in FP1 but this did not prevent him from posting the fastest time of the session with a 1’50.070s. Buis completed the fewest laps of any rider who did not crash with just six to his name but was still able to finish 0.114s ahead of French rider Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) in second place, who moved up the order in the closing stages of the session. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) had been second before being bumped down into third place by Di Sora, finishing two tenths behind the Frenchman.

Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) was another late mover at the end of Free Practice 1 as he jumped into fourth place, just under four tenths back from Buis, while Czech rider Petr Svoboda (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) took fifth place.  Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was the lead KTM rider in FP1 with sixth place with teammate Lennox Lehmann directly behind in seventh place and the pair separated less than a tenth.

Two teammates were also adjacent in the classification in eighth and ninth place as well, with Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) in eighth place after setting a 1’50.722s ahead of teammate Daniel Mogeda who was just over a tenth slower. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) rounded out the top ten with a 1’50.966s, the last rider within a second of Buis at the top of the timesheets.

There was a crash for Kas Beekmans (Sublime Racing by Ms Racing) around 10 minutes into the 30-minute Free Practice 1 session with the Dutch rider crashing at Turn 5. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) had been enjoying a strong debut session but a crash at Turn 11 around halfway through the session ended his FP1 early. Dutch rider Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) was another crasher when the Dutchman came down at Turn 9.

The top six following WorldSSP300 FP1, full results here:

1. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) 1’50.070s

2. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.114s

3. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) +0.314s

4. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) +0.368s

5. Petr Svoboda (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) +0.489s

6. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.546s

Watch more WorldSSP300 action from Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back on European soil and the Netherlands welcomes the paddock with open arms. The TT Circuit Assen has played host to countless duels across the years but this year, attention has been firmly on whether or not this will be Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) final time here on a WorldSBK bike. A two-day test on MotoGP™ machinery – the Yamaha YZR M1 to be precise – at Jerez earlier in the month gave Razgatlioglu an opportunity to adapt to the bike and see if his potential could be high.

HAVING THEIR SAY: unquestioned potential, “but it’s not easy”

With Assen being the first opportunity to catch up with his rivals since the test, we got their thoughts on whether or not his move could work. Six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) had two top ten finishes aboard a Repsol Honda in 2012 as a replacement rider for the injured Casey Stoner, and he hailed Toprak as an “incredible talent”, who could make it work: “It’s a hard situation to be in. All I know is that Toprak’s an incredible talent and given the right opportunity to go to MotoGP™, with the right people around him, he could do a great job.”

Reigning WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) spent nine seasons in MotoGP™ with multiple podiums and strong performances, and having made a successful switch in the other direction, gave key insight: “About Toprak, for sure he wants to go to MotoGP™, at least what I heard. It’s a different Championship, different bikes, different tyres… I know he’s doing some tests with the Yamaha, but he has to understand if he has the potential to go there and do well. Otherwise, he has a big name in WorldSBK and he’s an important rider here, so he has to choose, but it’s not an easy decision. Every rider wants to try MotoGP™ at least once, but it’s not easy, now that the category is so close with a gap at almost nothing between first and last. He has to understand if he can also be fast there.”

Teammate Andrea Locatelli came from Moto2™ to WorldSSP before his graduation, and he wasn’t letting the discussion cloud his own view of success within the Yamaha box: “For me, it’s difficult to say about Toprak because I don’t know but maybe for him, it’s interesting to go to MotoGP™ for the future. In my opinion, it doesn’t change anything; we’ll continue to work on my side, together, to be fast and to finish this season in a good way.”

FOR CONTEXT: what we know so far

The test at Jerez was no secret and Toprak commented on the test, saying it was “very enjoyable”, being less than two seconds off the top time of the test, set by Dani Pedrosa and KTM. Speaking at the Circuit of the Americas and the Americas GP, Yamaha Road Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis confirmed that Toprak had “expressed an interest”, and that the Turk was one of the “prime candidates” should the factory MotoGP™ outfit have a space in it. 2021 MotoGP™ World Champion Fabio Quartararo is on a deal that sees him through until 2024, whilst teammate Franco Morbidelli sees his current contract expire at the end of 2023. Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager Andrea Dosoli spoke about Razgatlioglu’s style and how he tried to ‘modify’ it during the test, with ‘results achieved’ already. Finally, Toprak had a test in MotoGP™ in May 2022 but it was hampered by rain; after, Lin Jarvis said that there was “no spot” for Razgatlioglu on the 2023 MotoGP™ grid.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is BACK in action and the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands is shaping up to be a belter. There’s plenty of hype coming into this round; it’s our first chance to catch-up with one rider who has been testing MotoGP™ machinery, an opportunity to speak to a home-hero, the Championship leader and Assen’s most successful rider. This week’s outspoken certainly touches all bases as we look ahead to racing.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “It’s all young riders’ dream to ride a MotoGP™ bike”

“For the MotoGP™ test, I can say I enjoyed it and finally, I rode in good weather, as last year I only did 28 laps due to the weather. Thanks to Yamaha for the opportunity, now we’ll see in the future. It’s still a dream but we will see in the future. This is just testing, for me to understand the bike and for Yamaha to see the potential. It’s all young riders’ dream to one day, ride a MotoGP™ bike. I’ve done it, enjoyed it but now I come back and do my job again, because for me, WorldSBK is important this season, to fight again for the Championship. This break was a lot, I was really bored and now I am fighting again. For me, the last two years at Assen, it hasn’t been a good race weekend at Assen, especially Race 2. This year, I was thinking not to ride in Race 2, because I always end up crashing! I’ll try again for this year, for the podium or the win. Jonny is always very strong at this track. Every year, this race weekend is different and I’ll try to do my best.”

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “Toprak’s an incredible talent, he could do a great job”

“I’m excited about Assen. I have a pretty good track record here, it’s a track I enjoy. I rode for a team based just up the road for many years of my career. I don’t know why I work so well here, it’s also a combination with the bike. I know Kawasaki is very strong here as well. While one eye’s on performance, you have to keep an eye on what the weather’s doing. Tough’s a great word. Although we have to try and start from zero and reset, and the results have been pretty poor, we can also draw positives from some of the races we’ve had; steps forward we’ve made with the bike. We haven’t put it all together. We’ve had two tests at Aragon and Barcelona to try a different direction with the bike and to focus on our weaknesses. This season, it’s been overstressing the front and the front tyre especially in the latter stages of races. We showed some good speed in Australia and Indonesia. The speed’s not in doubt, it’s about the longevity in the race. I think here at Assen should suit us especially with cooler conditions. It’s a hard situation to be in. All I know is that Toprak’s an incredible talent and given the right opportunity to go to MotoGP™, with the right people around him, he could do a great job.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I don’t have a clear of idea about my future… in the case I don’t want to stay, they have to know”

“I look forward to this weekend as I started the year so well. The feeling at the Barcelona test was incredible, I’m very happy. I have good memories at this track as I won with Ducati three times and last year, we were competitive, fighting with Toprak and Jonathan. I haven’t thought about my future because right now, we have only had two races; maybe after this round, I start to think about what I want to do. I am not old, but I have a lot of experience in motorcycle racing. At the moment, it’s not my first worry, I just want to be focused on this weekend. I don’t have a clear of idea about my future. I will decide very soon, not just for me but for my team. In the case I don’t want to stay, they have to know as soon as possible and also for my side. We’ll see, but at the moment, I don’t have an idea. About Toprak, for sure he wants to go to MotoGP™, at least what I heard. It’s a different Championship, different bikes, different tyres… I know he’s doing some tests with the Yamaha, but he has to understand if he has the potential to go there and do well. Otherwise, he has a big name in WorldSBK and he’s an important rider here, so he has to choose, but it’s not an easy decision. Every rider wants to try MotoGP™ at least once, but it’s not easy, now that the category is so close with a gap at almost nothing between first and last. He has to understand if he can also be fast there.”

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “It’ll be something special if I can get the first win here”

“We are at Assen, it’s a special track for me as I have good memories from the first year in WorldSBK in 2021, so we’ll see what happens this weekend. We hope for good weather, but we’re ready to fight. It’ll be something special if I can get the first win here at Assen; it’ll be hard but for sure, we’ll try. Why not? We’re here after a really good start to the Championship; we’ll try to be fast and fight for the podium. For me, it’s difficult to say about Toprak because I don’t know but maybe for him, it’s interesting to go to MotoGP™ for the future. In my opinion, it doesn’t change anything; we’ll continue to work on my side, together, to be fast and to finish this season in a good way.”

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC): “I think we can fight for top positions”  

“I started training and I don’t have any pain; I’ve been training with the practice bike and I don’t feel pain, so this is positive. I am here, ready to fight again. Honestly, I am very happy with the direction; I think we did a very good step with race distance, this is the area we’ve improved a lot because last year, we struggled with the tyre performance as it was dropping a lot in the last laps. Almost every race, we lost this potential to fight for the podium or good results. I am really happy, also the team and Japan have done a very good step so then, the reality is that if the tyre life makes it to the end with a good performance or not, but we are happy. I spoke with my crew chief Pete this morning and we said that I’m very excited, so I need to be calmer; last year, I went fast with the old bike but and got a podium. So, if you put this into 2023 when in Australia, with the improved tyre performance, we overtook Jonny in the last two laps, and the fact it’s a new season, testing went well and I’m excited, I know the package was amazing, so we need to see day by day. I think I am ready; I think we can fight for top positions.”  

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “I want to stay with BMW”

“I’m really happy to be back racing again, especially at Assen. I’m always looking forward to here. Unfortunately, it’s only once a year but it’s nice to be back here at Assen! It was nice to ride again at the test after Indonesia. We had a lot of things to test and, for us, it was to see what direction we have to go for the future. Nothing really decided about what to use here but we had some swingarms. It was all to confirm the direction for the future. I want to stay with BMW for sure. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results yet like we wanted for different reasons. One reason was my injury which cost us a whole year. I want to improve this project, to start winning with this project, hopefully we can stay together.”

Watch the 2023 WorldSBK season unfold with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com