WSBK Superbike Jerez FP3: Razgatlioğlu and Rea are there as the Superpole approaches

The stage is set for another thrilling round in Andalusia, the two championship leaders being the fastest with Andrea Locatelli at the end of FP3.

The second day opened under bright sunshine in Jerez, as part of the tenth round of the Superbike. With only four games left to go before the end of the season, each meeting will now take on capital importance, and the slightest mistake could well prove to be dramatic in the championship perspective for the two contenders for the crown, Toprak Razgatlioğlu and Jonathan Rea.

It is therefore a subtle balance that must be achieved, a clever mix of measured risk-taking to guard against the slightest mistake on the track, and a big attack to ensure a sufficient level of performance to hope to play first. roles.

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	1'39.461 Toprak Razgatlioğlu
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

Better for the Kawasaki in the heat

The first day ended yesterday with Rea's best time, which was a bit of a surprise, knowing that this time reference was achieved in the afternoon, during FP2 marked by the usual warming of temperatures. Conditions in which the Kawasaki has rarely shown itself in its best light this season.

But it is clear that Rea's team has apparently found the martingale that can allow them to display a solid burst of speed even when the mercury rises. However, it remains to be verified whether this level of performance can indeed be maintained over the entire duration of a race by the Ninja. To benefit from the first elements of an answer to this question, we will therefore have to wait until this afternoon and the holding of Race 1.

In the meantime, FP3 offered the Superbike riders the opportunity to try to improve their times from the day before, and to perfect their settings. Rea thus held first place for a long time, before suffering a last minute charge from the Yamaha riders.

 

Locatelli surprise guest in the top 3

Indeed, Andrea Locatelli first went to the top of the timesheet, before seeing his teammate Razgatlioğlu take the lead in 1'39.461. In fact, if Rea had been the only driver to manage to pass the 1'39 window on Friday, there are now three who managed to perform under 1'40.

However, we must not bury the Ducati riders, lying in ambush in fourth and fifth positions, Scott Redding ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi. Loris Baz then created a surprise with sixth place, a result that bodes well for the rest of the day for the man who replaces Chaz Davies at short notice.

Alex Lowes takes seventh place, ahead of Garrett Gerloff, while the Honda drivers, although in good spirits yesterday, are a little further behind today, Álvaro Bautista ahead of Leon Haslam in ninth place. We will also note the withdrawal of Lucas Mahias from this session, due to a problem with his left wrist.

 

Superbike Jerez – FP3:

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com