Assen World Superbike Friday Practice Results: Bautista leads the way after FP2
After finishing ninth in FP1, Lowes made an immediate jump as he set the fastest lap of the day on just his second flying lap.
Over half a second clear of teammate Jonathan Rea, Lowes’ early time of 1:34.553s was proving difficult to beat, especially in sector four.
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Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who endured a tough FP1, had to abandon his opening run after just a few laps when smoke was coming out of the front of his Panigale V4 R.
Lowes then improved again before Remy Gardner and Alvaro Bautista managed to reduce his advantage to under three tenths.
While his impressive final sector was keeping him atop the leaderboard, Lowes was not the most consistent rider on-track.
That instead went the way of Bautista who was continuing to lap within a couple of tenths of the fastest time, something no other rider could do.
With the issue thought to have been resolved, Rinaldi headed back out on circuit before making an immediate return to pit lane.
The Italian did so whilst shaking his right hand vigorously after it appeared as though his right hand might had been injured.
As lap times began to improve with 12 minutes to go, including Bradley Ray who was just four tenths off after three sectors in what is his WorldSBK debut, a red flag stopped the action after an inflatable crocodile blew onto the track.
Razgatlioglu was the oncoming rider who nearly made contact with the balloon, before the red flag was quickly lifted and on-track action resumed.
On his first flying lap, Bautista blasted to the top of the leaderboard with a time of 1:34.316s - two tenths clear of Lowes.
Bautista remained unchallenged throughout to the end of the session, while it was another difficult practice for Razgatlioglu who could only manage P10.
| 2023 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (2) Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | 1:34.316s |
| 2 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +0.231s |
| 3 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +0.257s |
| 4 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +0.284s |
| 5 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +0.397s |
| 6 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +0.595s |
| 7 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +0.632s |
| 8 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +0.650s |
| 9 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | +0.708s |
| 10 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +0.787s |
| 11 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | +0.790s |
| 12 | Scott Redding | GBR | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +0.825s |
| 13 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +0.837s |
| 14 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +0.957s |
| 15 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GoEleven Ducati | +0.963s |
| 16 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | +1.201s |
| 17 | Bradley Ray | GRB | Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +1.576s |
| 18 | Eric Granado | BRA | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +1.807s |
| 19 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT94 Yamaha | +1.811s |
| 20 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Action BMW | +1.983s |
| 21 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +1.991s |
| 22 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Kawasaki | +2.231s |
| 23 | Gabriele Ruiu | ITA | Bmax Racing | +2.510s |
| 24 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +2.523s |
| 25 | Isaac Vinales | SPA | TPR by Vinales Racing | +3.014s |
Assen World Superbike records
Most Wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team (16)
Lap record - 1’32.934s Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team (2022)
2022 race winners
Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team
Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team
Race 2 - Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.it Ducati
Bautista on top in opening Assen WorldSBK practice
Alex Lowes was the early pacesetter as he led a factory KRT 1-2 from teammate Jonathan Rea. Lowes’ time of 1:36.070s was then smashed by Rea as the six-time Superbike champion went six tenths clear.
Bautista and Bassani were the next riders able to break the 1m 36s barrier, however, both Ducati riders were over four tenths off the time set by Rea.
Conitnuing to find the pace as his opening stint developed, reigning world champion Bautista then closed to within a tenth of Rea on his next lap.
As Rea and Bautista kept up their battle for top spot, Toprak Razgatlioglu was down in 23rd place after spending the majority of the first 15 minutes in pit lane.
When Razgatlioglu did post his first flying lap, the 2021 world champion jumped up to tenth place before making that P5.
Leading the way for the rookies was Remy Gardner, with the Australian making a very bright start in third with less than 20 minutes remaining of FP1.
With minimal improvements being made by riders, Rea remained in a comfortable first place as he led Bautista by over three tenths.
The 16-time race winner at Assen posted a time of 1:34.774s which was the only sub 1m 35s lap of the session until Bautista overhauled Rea with a time of 1:34.698s.
| 2023 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (1) Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | 1:34.592s |
| 2 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +0.182s |
| 3 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +0.584s |
| 4 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +0.593s |
| 5 | Scott Redding | GBR | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +0.654s |
| 6 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +0.681s |
| 7 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | +0.726s |
| 8 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +0.857s |
| 9 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +0.921s |
| 10 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +0.966s |
| 11 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +1.114s |
| 12 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +1.129s |
| 13 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GoEleven Ducati | +1.188s |
| 14 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | +1.197s |
| 15 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | +1.327s |
| 16 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +1.392s |
| 17 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT94 Yamaha | +1.689s |
| 18 | Bradley Ray | GRB | Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +2.139s |
| 19 | Eric Granado | BRA | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +2.533s |
| 20 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Kawasaki | +2.577s |
| 21 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +2.704s |
| 22 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +2.834s |
| 23 | Gabriele Ruiu | ITA | BMW M 1000 RR | +3.112s |
| 24 | Isaac Vinales | SPA | TPR by Vinales Racing | +3.766s |
| 25 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Action BMW | +5.026s |
Making his return after breaking his leg in a clash with Lowes at Mandalika, Loris Baz brought his session to an early end after removing his leathers with a quarter of FP1 left to run.
However, this was due to an issue with his M 1000 RR and not because of the injury causing him to postpone riding until FP2.
Assen Schedule (UK time)
Friday
Free Practice 1 - 09:30-10:15
Free Practice 2 - 14:00-14:45
Saturday
Free Practice 3 - 08:00-08:30
Superpole - 10:10-10:25
Race 1 - 13:00
Sunday
Warm-up - 08:00-08:15
Superpole Race - 10:00
Race 2 - 13:00
