Alvaro Bautista remained out front following the opening day of action for the 2023 WorldSBK Championship at Assen, heading off the closest threat from Kawasaki, as Toprak Razgatlioglu languished in tenth.
The Spaniard, who commands a 37 point lead in the overall standings after five wins from six races, was again in his customary spot out front, his best time of 1m 34.316secs on the Aruba Ducati Panigale V4 R edged out Alex Lowes.
A strong return to form for the Kawasaki Racing Team, Lowes enjoyed a small advantage over team-mate Jonathan Rea, though he remained two tenths shy from the ultimate pace.
GYTR GRT Yamaha duo Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner led the Yamaha challenge in fourth and fifth respectively, though it was a tough day for 2021 WorldSBK Champion Razgatlioglu, who struggled with his form throughout to wind up down in tenth.
Michael van der Mark giving the home fans something to cheer with his sixth fastest lap on the BMW M !000 RR, ahead of top Ducati privateer Axel Bassani in seventh.
Andrea Locatelli and Garrett Gerloff ended their respective days in the top ten in eighth and ninth.
Having run inside the top five in FP1, Scott Redding slipped back in the afternoon with the 12th best lap, while Bradley Ray ended his first day as a full-time WorldSBK rider in a creditable 17th, 1.5secs off the ultimate pace.
After the Australian WorldSSP opener was red flagged due to stubborn birds wandering onto track, FP2 saw its own curious stoppage when a dinosaur inflatable wafted onto track, just being missed by Razgatlioglu’s Yamaha before floating away again…
2023 WorldSBK Friday Free Practice Results [FP1 + FP2]
| 2023 WorldSBK | Assen, Netherlands | FP1 + FP2 Results | Rd. 3 of 12] | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Motorcycle | Time |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Aruba Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 34.316 |
| 2 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 34.547 |
| 3 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 34.573 |
| 4 | Dominique Aegerter | CHE | GYTR GRT | Yamaha R1 | 1m 34.600 |
| 5 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT | Yamaha R1 | 1m 34.713 |
| 6 | Michael van der Mark | NED | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 34.911 |
| 7 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 34.948 |
| 8 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Crescent Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 34.966 |
| 9 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 35.024 |
| 10 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Crescent Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 35.103 |
| 11 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 35.106 |
| 12 | Scott Redding | GBR | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 35.141 |
| 13 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 35.153 |
| 14 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 35.273 |
| 15 | Philipp Oettl | GER | Go Eleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 35.279 |
| 16 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 35.517 |
| 17 | Bradley Ray | GBR | Motoxracing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 35.892 |
| 18 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 36.113 |
| 19 | Eric Granado | BRA | MIE Racing | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 36.123 |
| 20 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT 94 | Yamaha R1 | 1m 36.127 |
| 21 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | MIE Racing | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 36.307 |
| 22 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 36.547 |
| 23 | Gabriele Ruiu | POR | B-Max Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 36.826 |
| 24 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 36.839 |
| 25 | Isaac Vinales | ESP | TPR by Vinales Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 37.010 |
