WorldSBK testing got back underway at Portimao’s Algarve International Circuit on Tuesday with Aruba.it Ducati’s Michael Rinaldi topping the times in the closing minutes.

KRT’s Jonathan Rea looked to have the day in the bag before the Italian swept through thanks to a 1’39.639 on his final effort, denying the Northern Irishman by 0.061s, with the second Ducati of Alvaro Bautista a further 0.007s back in third, despite a late tipoff at turn five.

Kawasaki teammate Alex Lowes had an action packed start to proceedings as both he and Honda’s Xavi Vierge brought out the red flags in the morning session due to crashes at turns 10 and 13 respectively. The pair both returning to the track as the session continued, Lowes aboard his second bike after the small off proved more destructive than expected due to limited airfencing.

Reigning champion Bautista held court with a 1’39.862, just 0.02s ahead of fellow Panigale rider Rinaldi by the halfway point of the opening day with Pata Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli and Toprak Razgatlioglu completing the top four. The pair continuing to circulate on similar pace as they concluded the day’s top five by the close of play.

Vierge regrouped to sit sixth overall, narrowly ahead of Lowes while Honda’s Iker Lecuona, GRT Yamaha’s Remy Gardner and Bonovo BMW’s Garrett Gerloff concluded the top ten.

In WorldSSP, Tarran Mackenzie took his first laps with a stock MIE Honda, before retiring for the remainder of the day ahead of a proper push on Wednesday. Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega headed the field as he had at Jerez, with 1’43.282 pace, Althea’s Federico Caricasulo and Raffaele de Rosa completed the top three, half a second behind.

WorldSBK Portimao Test - Tuesday

1 21 M. RINALDI DUCATI 1:39.639 73 1:58.985 75 291.1 1:39.335
2 65 J. REA KAWASAKI 1:39.700 53 0.061 0.061 2:01.400 61 314.0 1:39.515
3 1 A. BAUTISTA DUCATI 1:39.707 50 0.068 0.007 2:27.666 59 312.1 1:39.514
4 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU YAMAHA 1:39.851 38 0.212 0.144 1:50.725 42 310.3 1:39.730
5 55 A. LOCATELLI YAMAHA 1:39.987 12 0.348 0.071 2:02.868 57 279.1 1:39.807
6 97 X. VIERGE HONDA 1:40.053 64 0.414 0.058 1:59.691 66 293.5 1:39.878
7 22 A.LOWES KAWASAKI 1:40.264 67 0.625 0.211 1:41.107 72 285.7 1:39.766
8 7 I. LECUONA HONDA 1:40.581 45 0.942 0.164 1:50.720 47 314.9 1:40.404
9 87 R. GARDNER YAMAHA 1:40.667 50 1.028 0.086 2:47.454 64 288.8 1:40.529
10 31 G. GERLOFF BMW 1:40.698 70 1.059 0.031 1:41.126 74 291.9 1:40.363
11 76 L. BAZ BMW 1:40.737 38 1.098 0.039 1:59.434 39 305.1 1:40.560
12 45 S. REDDING BMW 1:40.749 60 1.110 0.012 1:42.044 63 300.8 1:40.749
13 5 P. OETTL DUCATI 1:40.846 43 1.207 0.097 15:45.001 60 274.1 1:40.846
14 60 M. van der MARK BMW 1:40.875 51 1.236 0.016 1:41.480 55 301.7 1:40.584
15 9 D. PETRUCCI DUCATI 1:41.321 56 1.682 0.153 2:00.433 65 311.2 1:41.176