Aruba Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega set the fastest WorldSSP time on Friday at Misano despite missing out on FP1 due to patchy track conditions following heavy overnight rain.
The Italian more than made up for it in the fully dry afternoon free practice session at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, going 0.225 seconds faster than the next best rider, Dynavolt Triumph’s Stefano Manzi. The VR46 Academy graduate, fresh from another replacement ride in Moto2, made use of local knowledge and a few percent more in the allowable throttle opening of his three cyclinder engine.
Championship leader and 2021 title winner Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Yamaha) was third fastest, with Althea’s Federico Caricasulo maintaining the Italian form in fourth.
As the Ducati riders continued to hold court at the top end of the timesheets at their lone home round, Raffaele De Rosa (Ducati Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was fifth fastest on day one.
Championship challenger Lorenzo Baldassarri placed sixth on the Evan Bros. Yamaha, one place up on the top Kawasaki rider, Puccetti’s Can Öncü.
Glenn van Straalen (EAB Yamaha) was eighth, with Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti) and Andy Verdoia (GMT94 Yamaha) rounding out the top ten.
