It only took two sessions for the Swiss driver to get back into rhythm in Supersport, and set the best time in the second free practice session of the day. He is ahead of Philipp Öttl, again very solid during these FP2, as well as his championship rival, Steven Odendaal.
After a first session used to get a good understanding of the Jerez track, the drivers in the Supersport category raised their voice this afternoon during FP2. The opportunity to tease the clock, but also to perfect the settings on the machines in view of the next two days which promise to be particularly busy in Andalusia.
For Dominique Aegerter, leader of the championship and returning to the category, after a commitment to MotoE last week to the detriment of Supersport, it was also an opportunity to get back into the swing of things.
The Swiss, however, did not lose as much as a certain Kenan Sofuoğlu, who returned to the category this weekend after almost two and a half years of absence. The five-time World Champion in the category is indeed reunited with his old loves within Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, and demonstrated a very honorable burst of speed this Friday.
Öttl still in the game
But when it comes to first place, Dominique Aegerter held his place, ahead of Philipp Öttl and Steven Odendaal. Obviously far from being dejected by his failure in the electric motorcycle world championship last weekend, and moreover on the green carpet after crossing the finish line in the lead in Misano, the championship leader reminded who was the boss facing the German driver who had beaten him in the morning, setting a time of 1'42.455.
FASTEST @DomiAegerter77! @TenKateRacing tops FP2 at #ESPWorldSBK???? pic.twitter.com/58fXhWnmBt
- WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) September 24, 2021
Odendaal has made good progress, but will absolutely have to do more, and especially do better than Aegerter if he still wants to maintain a slim hope of a title this season. In fourth place, we find Niki Tuuli, the Finn who had already shown himself to be devilishly fast during FP1 and who did it again during the second free practice session, however at the cost of an accident in turn 1, after he lost the front of his machine.
He is ahead of Manuel Gonzalez, who falls back somewhat in the hierarchy after setting the second fastest time in the morning. The winner of Race 2 at the last round in Catalonia is ahead of his winner in Race 1, Randy Krummenacher.
Promising result for Sofuoğlu
Sofuoğlu took seventh place, a promising result for the rest of the weekend. The Turk is ahead of Raffaele de Rosa, victim of an inconsequential fall at the start of the session, as well as his young compatriot Can Öncü, and Stefano Manzi.
Beyond the top 10, we find the former teammates of GMT94, Federico Caricasulo ahead of Jules Cluzel. The latter makes his return to competition this weekend after being declared fit, three weeks after his heavy accident which occurred on the first lap of Race 2 at Magny-Cours.
