Ten Kate Yamaha’s Loris Baz remained at the top of the WorldSBK free practice timesheets after second free practice at Jerez but a sole fast lap from Michael Rinaldi saw him set the quickest time in the afternoon.
In lower temperatures, Baz set a 1’40.249 this morning which remained quickest of the day but Rinaldi bounced back from a weird crash in free practice one to put in a 1’40.325 this afternoon that was three-tenths faster than Scott Redding in third.
Redding had been top of the tree, himself three-tenths ahead of Jonathan Rea but he was bumped down to second by Rinaldi while a flying Alvaro Bautista got himself into third place for the session as the chequered flag was waved.
Rinaldi was the only rider in the top ten to improve on times in the afternoon when the two main races will be held tomorrow and Sunday.
Redding and Bautista set four laps in the 1’40s bracket while Jonathan Rea put in two. However, the reigning champion set ten 1’41s all. Baz, fifth in the afternoon, set one 1’40 lap but 13 in the 1’41s.
Chaz Davies bounced back from an early spill to work on his race tyre, setting eight 1’41s and two identical 1’40.971 times. Tom Skyes put in 14 1’41s with Michael van der Mark on 15.
Leon Haslam and Alex Lowes had a more torrid time of it, finishing in 12th and 13th respectively for the session. The Honda man didn’t break into the 1’40s and put in five 1’41s while Lowes managed seven.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was also uncharacteristically down the order, 15th for the session with only three laps from a total of 13 in the 1’41s bracket.
Eugene Laverty lost the front at turn two but was unhurt. He finished the session in ninth and 15th overall after finding two-tenths from this morning.
