Superbikes | Round Aragon, FP1: Bautista starts in front of everyone

he first free practice session of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Motocard Aragon Round saw Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) take the lead in the timesheets. The Spaniard's best time was half a second slower than the track record in WorldSBK.

Both ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati riders were fast from the start of FP1, for the Toledo rider this is his home race, while Chaz Davies has collected numerous successes here. The Spaniard finished the session more than half a second behind the classified Lowes, while his teammate returned to the top of the standings and finished with the fourth fastest time.

A determined Alex Lowes (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) confirmed, even at the first track date of the weekend, the extraordinary potential with which he is facing this first part of 2019. He placed the Yamaha on the front row in 2016 at Argon's MotorLand, but now kicked off this weekend with even more determination, setting the second best time in FP1. His teammate, Michael van der Mark, had a poor first part of the morning but seems to be working towards qualifying and the races. The Dutchman is eighth at the end of the first session.

Reigning world champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) made a pleasant return to MotorLand Aragon, where he has won three races in the past. The Northern Irishman recorded the third fastest time even though he is a considerable distance behind Bautista. The other Kawasaki standard bearer, Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), last raced on the Spanish track in 2015 and finished this return in fifth place.

Sixth place for Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), while the first rider from an independent team is season debutant Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) who takes ninth place.

Seventh time for Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who was 0.3 seconds behind the top three in FP1. His boxmate Markus Reiterberger is 12th. Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) completes the top 10 and will try to further improve his parameters in front of his home crowd.

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The fastest riders in FP1. To see the full results click here:
1.) Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) 1'49.692
2.) Alex Lowes (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1'50.819
3.) Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1'50.841
4.) Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) 1'50.920
5.) Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1'50.985
6.) Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven) 1'51.089