2022 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (3) Results

Results from free practice three at Assen, round two of the 2022 World Superbike championship.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Assen
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Assen

Toprak Razgatlioglu heads into Assen World Superbike qualifying fastest after topping FP3 from rookies Iker Lecuona and Philipp Oettl. 

2022 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (3) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Toprak RazgatliogluTURPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK1:34.540s
2Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+0.206s
3Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+0.352s
4Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.382s
5Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.419s
6Andrea LocatelliITAPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK+0.527s
7Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.529s
8Garrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+0.617s
9Scott ReddingGBRBMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+0.642s
10Michael RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.672s
11Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.110s
12Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+1.364s
13Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+1.512s
14Lucas MahiasFRAPuccetti Kawasaki+1.564s
15Gabriele RuiuITABmax Racing+2.079s
16Kohta NozaneJPNGRT Yamaha+2.083s
17Leon HaslamGBRPedercini Kawasaki+2.292s
18Christophe PonssonFRAGil Motor Sport Yamaha+2.631s
19Michael Van Der MarkNEDBMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+2.656s
20Roberto TamburiniITAMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+2.728s
21Luca BernardiSMBarni Spark Ducati Team+2.927s
22Leandro MercadoARGMIE Honda Racing+2.940s
23Hafizh SyahrinMALMIE Honda Racing+2.973s
24Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+3.760s
25Eugene LavertyIRLBonovo Action BMW+4.193s

Jonathan Rea was one of the last riders to exit pit lane as cooler conditions greeted riders on the first of two Assen World Superbike race days. 

A potential preview to race one, reigning world champion Razgatlioglu was following Michael Rinaldi closely to begin FP3. 

The two were part of a fierce battle in Aragon, one which left the Ducati rider very upset by the aggressive nature of several overtakes.

After leading an all-Aruba.it Ducati 1-2 during the early stages, Bautista and Rinaldi were then separated by Razgatlioglu and Rea who managed to go second and third. 

Attempting to put his FP2 crash behind him, Redding solidified his decent start to the weekend by putting his M 1000 RR BMW in fifth. That soon became sixth when Alex Lowes bolted to the top of the leaderboard, only for team-mate Rea to bump him back down to P2.  

As grip continued to improve, championship leader Bautista reassured his position as the rider to beat by going -0.037s quicker than Rea.

With most of his rivals in pit lane, Bautista remained out on-track as preparation for the race took shape. The Spaniard remained fastest on a time of 1:34.922s.

Continuing his stunning weekend aboard the 2022 CBR1000RR-R, Lecuona momentarily went second fastest - +0.008s down on Bautista, however, the Spaniard’s lap was deleted due to exceeding track limits. 

Iker Lecuona, Assen WorldSBK, 22 April
Iker Lecuona, Assen WorldSBK, 22 April

On his next effort the former MotoGP rider made up for his previous transgression by going fastest by nearly two tenths. 

One rider who wasn’t able to challenge for top spot was Rinaldi as a mechanical problem cut short his FP3. 

With qualifying simulations underway, Garrett Gerloff and Oettl both jumped into the top five, with the latter going second. 

Eugene Laverty missed free practice two after a big highside during the opening Assen World Superbike practice left the Irishman with significant swelling to his right forearm. Laverty did manage to return for FP3, albeit in limited fashion. 

Trying to push on after losing top spot to Razgatlioglu, Lecuona suffered his second fall of the weekend.  

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 

Round two of the 2022 World Superbike championship is taking place without Belgian rider Loris Cresson, as Pedercini Kawasaki announced an immediate split before the weekend due to a failure to fulfil financial agreements on Cresson’s side. 

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 was drafted in for FP1 and thus, the remainder of the Assen event. 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. 

Leon Haslam, Assen WorldSBK, 22 April
Leon Haslam, Assen WorldSBK, 22 April

Following confirmation of the agreed deal for this weekend, Haslam said: "I have fond memories of Assen over the years and so when the opportunity arose to race with TPR Team Pedercini in one additional race it was easy to say yes. 

"I have ridden with the team before and achieved a top five result in Qatar and I know how they work. 

"It will be a tough ask coming straight into round two with no testing on the bike and the championship being so strong this year but knowing that we will also race together in four other races after this I am confident that we can gain a lot of valuable information and have a positive weekend together."

Updated 2022 Assen WorldSBK Weekend Schedule

Saturday 

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

2022 World Superbike Championship Standings after round one (Top 10) 
Pos RiderNatTeamPointsDiff
1 Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati57 
2 Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK54-3
3 Toprak RazgatliogluTURPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK39-18
4 Michael RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati32-25
5 Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK18-39
6 Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK18-39
7 Andrea LocatelliITAPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK16-41
8 Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK15-42
9 Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW14-43
10 Garrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team14-43

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