For the moment the predictions that Brno isn’t a Ducati track was proved wrong by Althea Racing’s Davide Giugliano who took the top of the timesheests in the first free practice at the Czech circuit ahead of this Sunday’s 9th round.
The Italian who took second in last year’s Superstock race, layed down a best lap of 2.
00.
359 in what turned out to be a tight practice in the final minutes of the session, easily disposing of Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes who had lead most of the practice.
Jakub Smrz took second with his last flying lap (Liberty Racing is now doing without the services of Sylvain Guintoli after a frenetic and confusing day of contradictory and controversial press releases) and he was followed by Aprilia duo Eugene Laverty and Max Biaggi and the two were separated by a mere 0.
007s.
Sykes ended up 5th, closely tailed by Marco Melandri (BMW Italia will be running the factory effort next season) and Carlos Checa.
Loris Baz made and appearance in the top ten finishing in 8th and he was 0.
743s from Giugliano.
BMW Italia GoldBet duo Ayrton Badovini and Michel Fabrizio closed out the top ten.
Newlywed Jonathan Rea ended up 17th after suffering a crash at turn 3 in the closing minutes.
Alex Polita is replacing Niccolò Canepa who is ill (he has Bell’s palsy) in Red Devils Roma Ducati team and he finished in 20th, ahead of wild card Viktor Kispataki (Prop-tech Ltd -Honda) and Norino Brignola who is continuing with Grillini Progea after his debut at Aragon.
WSBK Brno FP1 results:01- Davide Giugliano – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 2’00.
35902- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
20703- Eugene Laverty – Aprilia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
23604- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
24305- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 0.
25606- Marco Melandri – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
28407- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
43908- Loris Baz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 0.
74309- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
79410- Michel Fabrizio – BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
85711- Leon Camier – FIXI Crescent Suzuki – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 0.
94512- Chaz Davies – ParkinGO MTC Racing – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
97213- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 1.
07914- Lorenzo Zanetti – PATA Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
25015- Hiroshi Aoyama – Honda World Superbike Team – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.
27316- John Hopkins – FIXI Crescent Suzuki – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 1.
31617- Jonathan Rea – Honda World Superbike Team – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.
39218- David Salom – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
42219- Maxime Berger – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 2.
21720- Alex Polita – Red Devils Roma – Ducati 1198 – + 3.
32821- Leandro Mercado – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 3.
88022- Viktor Kispataki – Prop-tech Ltd – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 4.
16323- Norino Brignola – Grillini Progea Superbike Team – BMW S1000RR – + 4.
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