SBK | Motul Argentinian Round, FP3: Rea sets the pace

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) is as usual the point of reference for the riders on the track at the end of the first day of free practice of the penultimate round of the season.

It doesn't matter that the circuit, San Juan Villicum in Argentina, is a new entry on the calendar: the four-time reigning champion demonstrates that he has a driving sensitivity superior to his rivals and still wants to amaze, even though the game is now over.

Behind him we find Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and an excellent Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) who takes the third time.

Rea fell twice under 1:41, taking the lead with half a second of advantage, until Melandri closed the gap by going under two tenths with a third of the session remaining.

The real fun began six minutes from the end: the Ducati rider took the lead after stopping the clock at 1:40.142, almost half a second faster than Rea, but the lead didn't last long.
The champion clocked a spectacular 1:39.914 four minutes later to take first place. A late move from Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) allowed him to get closer to the top two, but Rea's pace in the last two sectors was unstoppable.
Lowes ends Friday in fourth position, unlike teammate Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), who remained outside the top ten in the final stages of FP3 and will have to progress to Superpole 1 on Saturday.
Fifth of the day, four hundredths of a second from Rea, is Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), who showed he is in form in free practice. Sixth is Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike), who brought the Fireblade among the leaders after spending most of the day at the back.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) managed to conquer the top 10 on the last lap, finishing in seventh position after a day of ups and downs. Home idol Leandro 'Tati' Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) also entered directly into Superpole 2, finishing Friday in eighth position.
Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) is ninth, while Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team), who could clinch the independent riders' title this weekend, is tenth. The Spaniard is one second away from the fastest time in FP3. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who had the best time at various points during the day, did not get beyond 14th position, having to go through to Superpole 1 on Saturday together with van der Mark.