The red Xerox Ducatis of
James Toseland and
Lorenzo Lanzi -who is replacing the injured
Regis Laconi - were split in the closing moments of free practice by Winston Ten Kate's
Chris Vermeulen, at the Eurospeedway in Laustizring for round ten of the Alstare Corona Extra World Superbike Championship.
Toseland set the pace early in the session and no-one would better his time of 1min 40.595secs. Meanwhile, temporary team-mate Lanzi also put in a sterling performance, after being released from the SC Carrachi Ducati squad to ride for the top flight Ducati team. The pair dominated the proceedings and were the first riders to drop into the 1min 40s, Ducati's previous testing knowledge appearing to pay off.
Vermeulen put his fast lap in with only 38-seconds of the session left, splitting the Dukes with a lap time of 1min 40.938secs. The young Australian will be keen to keep the momentum of his double at Assen going, as he is now reeling Corser in on the points front.
Andrew Pitt was also fast, coming back in fourth place ahead of his team-mate
Noriyuki Haga, who was sixth. The Yamaha Italia machines have turned a corner in development recently and are set to challenge for the top spots.
Current Championship leader
Troy Corser was fifth fastest on his Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki. He hasn't raced here since 2002 and was getting to know the twisting circuit again.
Yukio Kagayama, Corser's team-mate, was in fourteenth place having never raced here. After not finishing on the podium at Assen Corser will be on a mission to get back up front again.
Petronas rider Steve Martin, who also tested here earlier in the year, was lapping consistently in the top ten, with his team-mate McCoy was in twenty third, however Garry missed out on testing here due to injuries sustained at Brno. The Petronas team showed good speed at Assen and will want that form to continue.
