Nicolo Bulega set the pace on a sunny opening day at Assen, leading the first two WorldSBK practice sessions ahead of a competitive and diverse field.
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took the early honours at an eventually sunny Assen by setting the fastest lap over the first two Free Practice sessions. He was an impressive 0.252 seconds faster than surprise second place rider, Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team).
The Friday top three was completed by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who was 0.319 seconds down on the best early pace of Bulega. Razgatlioglu felt he could not get his bike to stay on line in the faster corners, of which there are many at Assen.
A cosmopolitan top four was completed by Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), with a Ducati, bimota, BMW and Yamaha leading manufacturer order before a small phalanx of Ducati riders dominated the next few places.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati) were fifth and sixth fastest – making Lowes the top Independent rider of all.
Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven Ducati) was just 0.007 seconds from Lowes, in seventh place. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati) ended day one in eighth, followed by local hero Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and then Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing Ducati).
Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 13th overall on day one, and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) 17th.
More to come!
