As World Supersport Championship’s season resumed with two practice sessions for the Spanish Round.
Italian rookie Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) continued exactly where he left Phillip Island: by dominating the field as he topped both practice sessions at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto.
Locatelli’s best time was set in the morning session with a 1’42.988, the only rider to dip below 1’43 all day. In Free Practice 2 he was the only rider in the 1’43s as he posted a time that was over one second faster than Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in Free Practice 2. Overall, he was fourth tenths faster than Steven Odendaal (EAB Ten Kate Racing), who was second faster for the day with his time of 1’43.399.
South African rider Odendaal was four tenths faster than Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) as the trio rounded out the top three; the riders directly behind Locatelli very close in terms of lap time. Oettl’s Kawasaki Puccetti Racing teammate, Lucas Mahias, was fifth fastest with fellow Frenchman Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) in fourth between Oettl and Mahias. Cluzel’s GMT94 Yamaha teammate, Corentin Perolari was in eighth place after the two sessions.
Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) was sixth fastest overall over the two practice sessions, three tenths ahead of his Kallio Racing teammate, Hannes Soomer in seventh. Axel Bassani (Soradis Yamaha Motoxracing) was the highest placed rider competing in the World Supersport Challenge with ninth overall. Hikari Okubo (Dynavolt Honda) rounded out the top 10 while his teammate, German Patrick Hobelsberger, was 21st overall.
Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was 11th fastest overall for the day, having posted a 1’44.497 in the second practice session; one of only a handful of riders to improve their time from the opening practice session. Federico Fuligni (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was classified in 20th place for the day.
Alejandro Carranza Ruiz (EMPERADOR Racing Team) finished the day in 12th overall as he beat Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) by just 0.005s; showing just how close it is in WorldSSP. Danny Webb (WRP Wepol Racing) was 14th fastest after both sessions, with Peter Sebestyen (OXXO Yamaha Team Toth) in 15th. Hungarian Sebestyen’s teammate, Loris Cresson, was 23rd fastest for the day.
Andy Verdoïa (bLU cRU WorldSSP by MS Racing) finished in 16th with his teammate, Galang Hendra Pratama in 19th place. Between them was Turkish sensation Can Öncü (Turkish Racing Team) and Christoffer Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team); the Swedish rider returning to action after suffering from two broken legs.
Lachlan Epis (MPM Routz Racing Team) was 22nd out of 24 riders, with Luigi Montella (DK Motorsport) rounding out the field.
Top 5:
- Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) 1’42.998
- Steven Odendaal (EAB Ten Kate Racing) +0.411s
- Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.457s
- Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.463s
- Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.589s
- Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) +0.730s