First in the rain, then in the dry, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) dominated both Friday sessions at Circuito Estoril, the penultimate round du WorldSBK Superbike World Championship, but his opponents will do everything to delay his coronation...
P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
»We started well. It’s been a long time since we’ve ridden in these conditions, but we’re strong. I only did four laps before coming back to the pits because we were a bit cautious. We’re fighting for the world title and that’s our goal. The feeling was good in the wet and we’re ready. In the afternoon the bike also felt good. I don’t feel any pressure, I’m just enjoying riding this bike. Tomorrow the weather looks a bit unpredictable. It could rain in the morning and dry in the afternoon, but we’ll see. I’m ready for both conditions and I’ll do my best. It’s a very important race weekend for me, but I’m focused on winning. If I think I’m taking too many risks I might settle for second, but I like the track and we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.
P2 – Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
» This morning the conditions were really difficult because there was quite a bit of rain and cold temperatures. The feeling wasn’t too bad for me and it’s only the second time I’ve ridden this bike in the wet, so we don’t have the perfect settings yet. We’re still working to improve my feeling on the bike. In the end it wasn’t bad, but not perfect either. I think Toprak is on another level at the moment, but we want to improve and get closer. Looking at today’s lap times I think a top five is possible, but I definitely want to get back on the podium after missing out in Aragon.
P3 | Alex Lowes | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK
» This morning the conditions were really difficult. Normally with conditions like this I wouldn’t have wanted to do a lot of laps, but with the weather expected to change tomorrow I wanted to do some track time. The track was changing a lot and some sections were very slippery and difficult to manage. I wasn’t the only one struggling with the conditions this morning. In the afternoon it was quite dry. It’s the first time we’ve been to this circuit for a few years. I like the layout, it’s a fun track to ride and very fast. I think in the wet I can fight and in the dry I can be in the group. We struggle a bit in the last sector, especially on the Estoril Straight, which is a bit of a weak point. But I’m sure there are parts of the track where I’ll be really strong, and I think I can be in the fight. »
