Assen World Superbike FP3 Results: Gardner fastest in the wet from Bautista
Remy Gardner tops his first World Superbike session after a dominant display in the wet at Assen.
Following two dry sessions on Friday, Saturday’s FP3 got underway in damp conditions which was bad news for Razgatlioglu, who would have been hoping for more dry track time after struggling on day-one.
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- Assen World Superbike Friday Practice Results: Bautista leads the way after FP2
Conditions he made his own at times in MotoGP, Danilo Petrucci found immediate pace on the damp circuit and led the way from Alvaro Bautista.
With all five Ducatis circulating, most of the other big hitters decided to remain in pit lane at the beginning of the session.
Axel Bassani, who threatened to take top spot away from Petrucci on a couple of occasions, then did so before returning to the pits.
Continuing his stunning weekend thus far, Remy Gardner momentarily went quickest before Loris Baz, who was tailing the Yamaha rider nipped ahead by just 0.021s.
Gardner didn’t have to wait long to get P1 back as he improved on his next lap by over three tenths.
With just under half the session remaining, Razgatlioglu finally ventured out onto the Assen track, which was not the case for Rea.
As both riders got more comfortable with the conditions, Pata Yamaha duo Andrea Locatelli and Razgatlioglu challenged the top times. Locatelli was first to sneak under Bautista’s top time, before Razgatlioglu took top spot with a time of 1:45.647s.
However, Razgatlioglu’s time was shattered by Gardner with just a few minutes remaining as Gardner went a second clear.
| 2023 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Free Practice (3) Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | 1:44.648s |
| 2 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | +0.711s |
| 3 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +0.999s |
| 4 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +1.095s |
| 5 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +1.153s |
| 6 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Action BMW | +1.432s |
| 7 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +1.593s |
| 8 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | +1.640s |
| 9 | Bradley Ray | GRB | Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +1.855s |
| 10 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +1.972s |
| 11 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | +2.484s |
| 12 | Gabriele Ruiu | ITA | Bmax Racing | +2.759s |
| 13 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +2.824s |
| 14 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +2.888s |
| 15 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +2.933s |
| 16 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GoEleven Ducati | +3.314s |
| 17 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT94 Yamaha | +3.676s |
| 18 | Isaac Vinales | SPA | TPR by Vinales Racing | +3.784s |
| 19 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +4.521s |
| 20 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +5.017s |
| 21 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Kawasaki | +5.246s |
| 22 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | No Time Set |
| 23 | Eric Granado | BRA | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | No Time Set |
| 24 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | No Time Set |
| 25 | Scott Redding | GBR | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | No Time Set |
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 was quickest in both of Friday’s Practice sessions, leading Rea in FP1 before getting the better of Rea’s teammate Lowes.
After taking part in his second MotoGP test ahead of a potential move, Razgatlioglu struggled in both sessions to match the leaders, which left the Yamaha star scratching his head.
Razgatlioglu said: "In general, I’m feeling a little bit bad because I don’t find a good setup for this track. In the second session, I’m waiting for a good lap time and it doesn’t change. I did a 35’1 but also I’m feeling the limit.
"On some corner entries and exits, I’m feeling bad because the bike isn’t turning as much. I hope tomorrow we are finding grip and we come back strong.
"Now it looks very bad because last year, in the first session, I did a 34.6s. Normally I am very strong and this year I am waiting to be faster than last year but we started very slowly.
"It looks like we haven’t improved the bike. I hope we improve the bike because we don’t just have one problem, we have many problems."
Assen Weekend Schedule
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
