Rea leads Bautista as World Superbikes returns

Full WorldSBK FP1 results at Portimao

Jonathan Rea has kept hold of top spot from World Superbike title rival Alvaro Bautista despite late improvements from the Spanish rider in the opening practice session at Portimao as the series returns to action after its lengthy summer break.

The Kawasaki rider produced an early 1m 41.931s to lead the opening efforts which remained unbeaten despite Bautista stepping up his own pace late on to go within one-tenth of a second.

But with the Aruba.it Racing Ducati rider opting to conserve his track action, as he battles back from a shoulder injury sustained at Laguna Seca, he remained 0.078s off Rea at the end of FP1.

Alex Lowes slotted into third place for Pata Yamaha, 0.120s slower than Rea’s leading effort, with Toprak Razgatlioglu impressing for Puccetti Kawasaki in fourth place for Puccetti Kawasaki.

Michael van der Mark produced his own lap improvement in the closing stages to move up to fifth place ahead of Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam, with BMW’s Markus Reiterberger surging to seventh place on the times as team-mate Tom Sykes suffered a late fall.

Loris Baz edged fellow Yamaha rider Sandro Cortese for eight place as Michael Ruben Rinaldi rounded out the top 10 on the Barni Ducati.

That saw Chaz Davies, who claimed a breakthrough win before the summer break at Laguna Seca, shuffled down to 11^th place for Aruba.it Racing Ducati but in front of Sykes and GRT Yamaha’s Marco Melandri.

Eugene Laverty grabbed 14^th place for Team Goeleven Ducati ahead of Leandro Mercado on the Orelac Racing Kawasaki with Jordi Torres dropping to 16^th place after an early crash for the Team Pedercini Kawasaki rider.

Takumi Takahashi led the Moriwaki Althea Honda charge down in 17^th spot but ahead of team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari, with Sylvain Barrier taking 19^th for Brixx Ducati on a World Superbike wildcard as Alessandro Delbianco completed the times.