Superbike Navarre FP2: Razgatlioglu leads the charge, Rea behind

The Yamaha rider set the best time in the second free practice session of the day, ahead of the Ducati of Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi.

After a first driving session which allowed the drivers of the Superbike category to get their bearings on the Navarre track, for which this is the first appearance on the calendar of the championship of motorcycles derived from the series, this time the FP2s have -this was the opportunity to carry out the first significant chronometric attacks.

Several drivers have thus made a move to the top of the hierarchy. Jonathan Rea, the fastest driver this morning and precarious leader in the general classification, then his great rival in the championship Toprak Razgatlioglu, took turns at the head of the session, foreshadowing the tough battle that the two men will undoubtedly wage. this weekend in Spain.

Redding in ambush

But we shouldn't bury Scott Redding too quickly. The Ducati rider, author of a good performance during the last round in Most, in the Czech Republic, accompanied by three podiums including a victory – the first since the inaugural round of the season in Aragón – had already accompanied the two championship leaders in the top 3 during FP1, and did it again this afternoon by showing himself in the game throughout the session.

One thing is certain: The former MotoGP rider does not seem perturbed by the announcement of his departure from the Ducati team at the end of the season to join BMW. The number 45 thus finished the session in second place, runner-up to Razgatlioglu, who therefore achieved the best time of these FP2 in 1'38.134, a pace slower by around half a second compared to this morning.

Redding could nevertheless have had the opportunity to end the day in style by dislodging the Turk from first place during his final flying lap, but a mechanical failure forced him to dismount in the very last minute of the session.

 

Fall without consequences for Gerloff

Meanwhile, his teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi managed to get into the top 3, ahead of Andrea Locatelli and Garrett Gerloff. The American did rather well at the end of a messy session, marked in particular by a high-speed crash in turn 4 at the start of the last quarter of an hour.

 

 

Chaz Davies took sixth position, thus confirming his return to form in this round, after an already good first free practice session this morning. Rea, author of the best time during FP1 and also at the top of the combined times ranking this evening, for his part was much more discreet during this second session of the day, with the seventh fastest time. The Kawasaki rider is ahead of his teammate Alex Lowes, while the top 10 is completed by Tom Sykes and Axel Bassani, who has recovered well after FP1 finishing in a distant 14th place.

On the French side, Lucas Mahias is best placed in the standings, the Montois who took 15th place after a fall in the last corner at the very start of the session. His compatriot Christophe Ponsson was unable to do better than 18th.

 

Superbike Navarre – FP2 results:

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com