The Kawasaki rider finished FP2 in first place and thus set the absolute best time this Friday, ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi and a surprising Leon Haslam.
After a first contact with the Andalusian track of Jerez this morning, the Superbike riders sought to improve their times during the second free practice session of the day. After a first reference signed during FP1 by Toprak Razgatlioğlu, Jonathan Rea had to react, he immediately taking control of the session, ahead of Leon Haslam. The two men remained in the first two places for a long time, before Michael Ruben Rinaldi, in a clear upturn in form since the last round in Catalonia, overtook them after the halfway point of the session.
But Rea did the job during his final flying lap at the very end of the session, posting a remarkable 1'39.671. The Kawasaki rider is thus the only rider to have managed to go below the 1'40 mark during these FP2.
Summary of the results of the 2020 edition:
| WSBK Superbike Jerez | July / August 2020 | September 2021 |
| FP1 | 1'40.249 Loris Baz | 1'40.074 Toprak Razgatlioğlu |
| FP2 | 1'40.325 Michael Ruben Rinaldi | 1'39.671 Jonathan Rea |
| FP3 | 1'39.639 Michael van der Mark | |
| Super poles | 1'38.736 Scott Redding | |
| Race 1 | Redding, Rea, Razgatlioğlu | |
| Warm up | 1'39.535 Jonathan Rea | |
| Superpole race | Rea, Redding, Van der Mark | |
| Race 2 | Redding, Davies, Razgatlioğlu | |
| All time lap record | 1'38.736 Scott Redding |
Big fall for Bautista
Álvaro Bautista, who is experiencing an increase in performance at the end of the season, marked in particular by a return to the podium, also in Montmeló last week, also played at the forefront, bringing out the big attack in the last minutes. It was bad for him, the Spaniard losing the front of his Honda at high speed in turn 11, and finding himself in the gravel trap after a spectacular accident.
The one who will return next year to Ducati ultimately takes fifth place, thus ensuring the presence of the two HRC motorcycles in the top 5. Scott Redding takes fourth place, while in sixth position we find Alex Lowes, who still suffers from his right hand following his injury sustained during a fall in Catalonia.
💥💥💥💥@ 19Bautista crashes! #RiderOK#ESPWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/0x0qWxln6T
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 24, 2021
Razgatlioğlu withdrawn
Toprak Razgatlioğlu for his part had more difficulty, the Turkish driver who could not do better than seventh at the end of the session. The Yamaha resident, however, did not skimp on heavy braking, particularly at the Dry Sack corner, the latter which will undoubtedly constitute a favorite overtaking place for him this weekend.
???? @chazdavies7 someone is trying to copy your sliding style! @toprak_tr54 you need more practice (Chaz does it without the leg out)#ESPWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/dTbysGpbp9
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 24, 2021
We then find Andrea Locatelli in eighth place, the Italian driver who is ahead of Garrett Gerloff and Michael van der Mark in the top 10. Axel Bassani takes 11th place, ahead of the first Frenchman in the ranking, Loris Baz, author of a first conclusive day for his return to the category.
The Haut-Savoyard is ahead of another returner this season, in the person of Eugene Laverty, while the top 15 is completed by Isaac Viñales and Leandro Mercado. You then have to go down to 16th and 17th places to find traces of Christophe Ponsson and Lucas Mahias, in that order.
