Alvaro Bautista reminded who was the boss since the end of last season in WSBK by closing the off-season as leader in a category which will open its 2023 campaign this weekend. It is on the Phillip Island route that all these events will take place. Best time in the last session of the final tests in Australia, the Ducati official was able to distance himself from his opponents among whom we found a few surprises... Which will make the competition even a little more exciting...
With more than three tenths ahead of his closest pursuer, Alvaro Bautista did not go into detail this Tuesday at Phillip Island, thus showing its strength on a new Ducati Panigale V4R which still seems ahead of its time. Proof of this is his teammate’s third place Rinaldi, the two men from the Italian brand supervising a Yamaha , but not the one we think. He is indeed the rookie double World Champion of WSS Dominique Aegerter who invites himself to the feast of kings with his rank of dolphin on the timesheet.
The Swiss therefore does better than the official R1 driver Andrea Locatelli, fourth. The Italian is chased by the other rookie and local of the stage Remy gardner which closes the top 5. Jonathan Rhea doesn't impress yet with the Kawasaki reworked since here he is sixth in front Oettl et Danilo Petrucci who spared no effort to enter this top 10 with his Ducati Barni. He suffered a collision with bassani, the two men then found themselves at the medical center which fortunately reassured them about their condition…
Alvaro Bautista shows his strength at Phillip Island and Rea as Razgatlioglu their doubts
van der mark maintains BMW in the first part of the ranking closed by Razgatlioglu that we are used to seeing at the best parties. lecuona suit for a factory Honda always out of the top 10 and whose two official drivers often fall. Virgin his accident happened this Tuesday. Redding is 12th, ahead of his colleague Marquez Loris Baz. The other official Kawasaki that is alex lowes is 14th ahead of Bassani, Virginie and Gerloff on his BMW. Baldassarri on the Yamaha of GMT94 fell, he is 19th.
See you now on Friday for the very first free practice sessions which will take us into Australia in this 2023 World Superbike season which promises to be exciting.
WSBK Superbike Test Phillip Island J2: times
Cumulative ranking FP1/FP2:
Credit classification wsbk.com
