Danilo Petrucci claimed the top spot at the end of Day One of the World Superbike event in Portimao. He finished ahead of Alvaro Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Earlier in the day, Toprak Razgatliotlu had topped the opening session, but Ducati made a strong comeback in the evening. Ducati riders dominated Free Practice Two, with Danilo Petrucci finishing first and Alvaro Bautista in second place, despite a crash in the closing minutes of the session.
Toprak Razgatlioglu managed to secure the third spot, despite facing mechanical issues that forced him to end both FP1 and FP2 prematurely. Nicolo Bulega, who missed FP1, managed to finish in fourth place after a late time attack.
Dominique Aegerter, struggling for most of the season, showed promise by finishing in fifth place as the top Yamaha rider. Jonathan Rea maintained his sixth-place position from FP1 to FP2 and is expected to be competitive in the upcoming races.
BMW riders Michael van der Mark and Garrett Gerloff finished in seventh and eighth place, respectively. Alex Lowes was the top Kawasaki rider in ninth place, although the Kawasaki team did not perform as well as expected at the Portimao circuit.
Despite a late crash, Michael Ruben Rinaldi rounded out the top ten. The Italian rider’s future in WorldSBK is uncertain, but a strong performance at Portimao could secure him a ride for the 2025 season.
British riders Scott Redding and Bradley Ray finished outside the top ten in 13th and 19th places, respectively.
Looking at the full results of Free Practice Two, it’s evident that the competition is fierce, with riders from various teams and manufacturers showcasing their skills on the track. The standings set the stage for an exciting weekend of racing at the Portimao Circuit.
Overall, Day One of the Portimao WorldSBK event provided fans with thrilling action and unexpected results, hinting at an intense battle for the top positions in the upcoming races. Riders will have to push themselves to the limit to secure valuable points and potentially improve their standings in the championship.
