Contrary to what he rarely does on Friday, it was Max Biaggi who topped the charts in the first free practice at Nurburgring.
The Italian tested his Aprilia at the Mugello the other day to shake off some of the rust after the long summer break, best time was 1.
56.
571 that was just 0.
055s faster than Ducati’s Michel Fabrizio.
The Italian rider who married his long time live-in and mother of his two children during the long summer break and received the bad news that Ducati will be pulling their factory team next season also tested at the Mugello.
The third spot went to Althea’s Carlos Checa who finished ahead of the Ducati Xerox rider Noriyuki Haga (who will also find himself without a team) and Shane Byrne, making it four Ducati’s in the first five spots.
Jonathan Rea was sixth and the last rider to break the 1.
57 barrier.
Cal Crutchlow who dislocated his knee during a training accident during the summer hiatus was seventh.
Leon Haslam struggled for most the session and only towards the end of the hour practice managed to take eighth.
Ninth went to Troy Corser on what BMW considers their home race and Lorenzo Lanzi on the DFX Ducati closed out the top ten.
Ian Lowry who is subbing for injured Chris Vermeulen in Kawasaki was 20th, while Fabrizio Lai who replaced Broc Parkes in Echo CRS Honda took 21st ahead of Matteo Baiocco on the Pedercini Kawasaki.
WSBK Nurburgring Free Practice Results:01- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Alitalia Racing – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – 1′56.
57102- Michel Fabrizio – Ducati Xerox Team – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
05503- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
12804- Noriyuki Haga – Ducati Xerox Team – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
32605- Shane Byrne – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
39606- Jonathan Rea – HANNspree Ten Kate Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 0.
40207- Cal Crutchlow – Yamaha Sterilgarda Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 0.
51208- Leon Haslam – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 0.
65409- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
67910- Lorenzo Lanzi – DFX Corse – 0.
84211- Jakub Smrz – Team Pata B&G Racing – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
84712- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 1.
15713- Luca Scassa – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
17414- James Toseland – Yamaha Sterilgarda Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 1.
26015- Ruben Xaus – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 1.
26416- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 1.
34817- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX 10R – + 1.
52618- Max Neukirchner – HANNspree Ten Kate Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.
97119- Roger Hayden – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX 10R – + 2.
98020- Ian Lowry – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX 10R – + 3.
21321- Fabrizio Lai – ECHO CRS Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 4.
34522- Matteo Baiocco – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX 10R – + 5.
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