Superbike|Motul Thai Round, FP1: Xavi Fores shines

Uncertain weather at the Chang International Circuit, in Thailand, where the second round of the season began this morning with the first free practice session, one month after Phillip Island: overcast skies and cool temperatures with 23°C air, 29°C asphalt.

The fastest was surprisingly Xavi Fores, with the Barni team's Ducati, who preceded Eugene Laverty's Aprilia and Jordi Torres' MV Agusta.
Tom Sykes follows with the fourth fastest time, ahead of Leon Camier (Honda) and Alex Lowes (Yamaha).

The official Panigale is struggling a bit with Marco Melandri and Chaz Davies seventh and ninth respectively, while Jonathan Rea is only 11th, more than 7 tenths behind Fores.

Below are the times recorded in FP1:

1. Fores (Spa-Ducati) 1'33"960;
2. Laverty (Irl-Aprilia) 1'34"249;
3. Torres (Spa-MV Agusta) 1'34″292;
4. Sykes (GB-Kawasaki) 1'34"329;
5. Camier (GB-Honda) 1'34"406;
6. Lowes A. (GB-Yamaha) 1'34″437;
7. Melandri (Ita-Ducati) 1'34"503;
8. Baz (Fra-BMW) 1'34″615;
9. Davies (GB-Ducati) 1'34"620;
10. Ramos (Spa-Kawasaki) 1'34″713;
11. Rea (GB-Kawasaki) 1'34"724;
12. van der Mark (Ola-Yamaha) 1'34"765;
13. Gagne (USA-Honda) 1'35"222;
14. Mercado (Arg-Kawasaki) 1'35″416;
15. Savadori (Ita-Aprilia) 1'35"441;
16. Razgatlioglu (Tur-Kawasaki) 1'36″200;
17. Hernandez (Col-Kawasaki) 1'36"444;
18. Jacobsen (USA-Honda) 1'36"449;
19. Jezez (Cec-Yamaha) timeless.