Assen, FP1: BMW sets the tone with Razgatlioglu / World Superbike Championship

Due to its proximity to the sea, the weather in the Dutch province of Drenthe often changes and is difficult to predict. In Assen we experience capers from time to time. From Thursday to Friday, the rain started after midnight and lasted until 6:30 am.

When the first free practice session for the Superbike pilots started at 10:20am, the wind had not yet completely dried the TT Circuit and there were many wet patches. In the first 15 minutes of the 45 minutes, only four riders dared to enter the field, the second winner of the World Championship Alex Lowes (Kawasaki) lost more than 6 seconds compared to the normal pace with a time of 1:40.340 minutes.

At the break, BMW rookie Toprak Razgatlioglu led the timesheets with a time of 1:37.024. For comparison: The fastest lap in Assen was set by Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) in the 2022 race at 1:33.620 minutes, the pole record set by Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) started the same year and is 1:32.934 minutes .

In the last 17 minutes the sun looked over the clouds, and in the last ten minutes all the drivers were able to improve significantly – the situation on the track improved by the minute. First Remy Gardner (GRT Yamaha) took the lead from Razgatlioglu, then Alex Lowes, who was first with less than 1:36 remaining.

Razgatlioglu eventually set the fastest time in 1:35.709, leaving the Turk 0.290 seconds ahead of Alex Lowes. Bautista, Gardner, Jonathan Rea and Toprak’s BMW teammates Garrett Gerloff and Michael van der Mark follow in the top seven, more than half a second behind.

Since the final times were still around 2 seconds above normal pace, FP1 is a bit pointless.

World Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Ducati) was transported and temporarily stuck in the gravel at Turn 1. He finished practice in tenth place, directly in front of Switzerland’s Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha).

Xavi Vierge brought the best Honda to 12th place, the only German participant Philipp Öttl (GMT94 Yamaha) was 14th.