After his teammate re-signed with the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati Team for 2024 yesterday, Michael Ruben Rinaldi has a point to prove in Catalunya as he secured top spot in the opening session of the weekend.
The Italian rider who has been outperformed by fellow Ducati riders so far this season will be battling to keep his ride on the Aruba Ducati in 2024. Taking the top spot in the first session of the weekend is the perfect start for Rinaldi and his crew.
The six time World Superbike Champion, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team), was hot on the Ducati riders heels. The Northern Irishman finished FP1 in second with a lap time of 1m 41.652, only 0.019 seconds behind Rinaldi.
The 2021 World Superbike Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team), finished the opening session of the weekend in third, with Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) not far behind in fourth place.
Honda rider, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC), turned around his poor Assen form as he finished fifth place in FP1. Closely behind the Honda man were two Yamaha riders of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) in sixth and Dominique Aegerter in seventh place (GRT Yamaha).
A late crash halted the progress of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) who ended the first session in eighth place after making late progress in the session.
Rounding out the top ten was two British riders. Alex Lowes finished in ninth place (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Scott Redding (RoKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the only BMW rider in the top ten as he finished tenth overall.
The British World Superbike rookie, Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team), finished the opening session of his second weekend of the 2023 season in 19th place. The final British rider, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), continued to have bike problems as he finished all the way down in 23rd place.
FP2 takes place at 15:00 local time in Catalunya - 14:00 UK time.
WorldSBK Catalunya - FP1 Results
| 2023 Catalunya WorldSBK | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | FP1Results | Rd. 4 of 12] | |||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Motorcycle | Lap |
| 1 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 41.633 |
| 2 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 41.652 |
| 3 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Crescent Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 41.719 |
| 4 | Alvaro Bautista | ESP | Aruba Ducati | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 41.779 |
| 5 | Iker Lecuona | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 42.068 |
| 6 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Crescent Racing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 42.079 |
| 7 | Dominique Aegerter | CHE | GYTR GRT | Yamaha R1 | 1m 42.084 |
| 8 | Xavi Vierge | ESP | Team HRC | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 42.095 |
| 9 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 42.229 |
| 10 | Scott Redding | GBR | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 42.467 |
| 11 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT | Yamaha R1 | 1m 42.649 |
| 12 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 42.790 |
| 13 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Racing | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 42.834 |
| 14 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 42.941 |
| 15 | Philipp Oettl | GER | Go Eleven | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1m 43.358 |
| 16 | Eric Granado | BRA | MIE Racing | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 43.432 |
| 17 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | 1m 43.551 |
| 18 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | MIE Racing | Honda CBR1000RR-R | 1m 43.576 |
| 19 | Bradley Ray | GBR | Motoxracing | Yamaha R1 | 1m 43.719 |
| 20 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 44.022 |
| 21 | Isaac Vinales | ESP | TPR by Vinales Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 44.223 |
| 22 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT 94 | Yamaha R1 | 1m 44.674 |
| 23 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Racing | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1m 46.644 |
| 24 | Gabriele Ruiu | ITA | Bmax Racing | BMW M 1000 RR | No Time Set |
| 25 | Ivo Lopes | POR | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK | BMW M 1000 RR | No Time Set |
