2022 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (2) Results

Alvaro Bautista blasts his way to top spot on day-one of the Assen World Superbike, but it's Toprak Razgatlioglu who shows the best race pace. 

Eugene Laverty decided not to ride in FP2 following a big highside earlier today which left the Bonovo Action BMW rider with severe swelling to his elbow. 

Eager to reassert himself as the fastest rider around Assen, six-time WorldSBK champion Jonathan Rea made a hot start to FP2 by already going quicker than his FP1 time on his third flying lap. 

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But FP2 was brought to a sudden stop as Iker Lecuona suffered a big crash in sector three, resulting in a first red flag of the season. 

The impressive Superbike rookie, who finished second in FP1, remained down for some time before eventually being helped back to his feet with medical assistance. Following a five minute delay, free practice two was back underway with Rea leading the field. 

Bautista took no time at all to improve as he went within a tenth of Rea’s low 1m 35s time. That soon became top spot as the championship leader set the first sub 1m 35s lap for this session. 

Continuing to set a metronomic rhythm, Bautista improved again to extend his lead over Rea. The Kawasaki rider was every bit the match for Bautista through sectors 1-3, but it was sector four where Rea was losing time every lap. 

Not a sector you would expect Rea to lose time as it requires sharp braking into the final chicane, a part of the circuit that has traditionally been his strength. 

After seemingly making a step forward in FP1, the second practice was a disaster for Scott Redding as the BMW rider crashed at turn one.

Razgatlioglu, who was third during the early stages, then replaced Rea in second - +0.274s down on Bautista. However, his next lap around was even better as he closed within a tenth of the Spaniard.

In the middle of a stunning race run, the reigning world champion continued to set times faster than anyone else, while also closing to within +0.013s of Bautista. 

There was great news for Lecuona and Honda as the rookie was cleared to return, which he did with 15 minutes to go. 

Rea regained second place with just over ten minutes to go as he went +0.002s down on Bautista, however, the Ducati rider soon stretched his legs once more. Bautista set a time of 1:34.382s which was nearly four tenths clear of Rea.

Assen World Superbike Records

Fastest lap - Alvaro Bautista SPA Ducati 1:34.564s (2019)

Most wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki (15)

2021 Winners 

Race One - Jonathan Rea 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea 

Race Two - Jonathan Rea 

World Superbike Free Practice One Recap

World champion Razgatlioglu set a blistering pace to start FP1. A time of 1:35.935s saw the Turkish rider go three tenths clear of Rea, a 15-time race winner at Assen, before Alex Lowes and Bautista reduced the Yamaha rider’s lead to under a tenth. 

Returning to pit lane after a very short first run, Razgatlioglu was then shuffled back to sixth as lap times improved. 

Keeping up their battle from Aragon, Bautista and Rea exchanged top spot on several occasions, before the latter set a 1:35.295s to go three tenths clear of the series leader. 

Bautista, who called Rea the ‘king of Assen’ heading into the weekend, then reduced the Kawasaki rider’s lead to +0.185s with half an hour remaining. 

With most of the field having returned to pit lane, Razgatlioglu headed back out to begin stint #2. 

And what a stint it was for the Pata Yamaha rider as he set a first sub 1m 35s lap of the sessions. Razgatlioglu’s time of 1:34.635s was over six tenths clear of Rea. 

FP1 saw considerable improvements for Redding and BMW compared to Aragon two weeks ago. The former BSB champion was regularly inside the top ten as he finished ninth. 

Eugene Laverty suffered a huge highside with ten minutes to go as he lost the rear on entry to turn 15. Laverty’s fall was the first for any rider. 

At the front, Bautista managed to split Razgatlioglu and Rea, however, the Ducati rider remained six tenths down on the Yamaha man. 

Based on the gaps it appears as though Razgatlioglu was on a very different program to both Bautista and Rea. 

Barni Spark Ducati rider Luca Bernardi also suffered a late fall, while Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona continued his great start at Honda to go second fastest. 

Razgatlioglu then lowered the benchmark once again to set a 1:34.666s which was enough to finish four tenths clear of Lecuona.  

FP1 took place without Belgian rider Loris Cresson as Pedercini Kawasaki announced an immediate split before the weekend due to financial reasons. Cresson, who was initially signed through to the end of 2022, was set for a second full season in Superbikes before the termination of his contract on Wednesday. 

It means BSB rider Leon Haslam, who was already scheduled to take part in four wildcard rounds with the team this season has since been drafted in. Haslam and Pedercini have already agreed to increase his participation in the 2022 championship, but exactly how many rounds Haslam will do is yet to be confirmed.

2022 Assen WorldSBK Weekend Schedule

Friday 

14:00-14:45 - WorldSBK FP2

Saturday 

08:00-08:30 - WorldSBK FP3

10:10-10:25 - WorldSBK Superpole

13:00 - WorldSBK Race One

Sunday

08:00-08:15 - WorldSBK Warm-up

10:00 - WorldSBK Superpole Race

14:00 WorldSBK Race Two