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WorldSBK

WorldSBK By February 23, 2024

1:27s: History made in the first MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Tissot Superpole

History was made in the first MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship Tissot Superpole of the 2024 season and it was a rookie domination at the front of the field for the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round. The first ever 1:27 second lap time on a World Superbike at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was set and it’s a rookie 1-2 that will lead the way for Race 1.

 

The 15 minute Tissot Superpole was all about being at the right place at the right time, and history was made on the final flying lap from Nicolo Bulega [Aruba.it Racing – Ducati]. The rookie set a new all time lap record around Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit of 1:27.916, the first ever World Superbike to lap in the 1:27 second time bracket.

 

Bulega’s lap time was set with some assistance from his teammate, sitting right behind the reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista [Aruba.it Racing – Ducati] on his flying lap, using the tow and slipstream from the Ducati Panigale V4R. While Bautista assisted his teammate to pole position, Bautista was only able to salvage a ninth place start for this afternoon’s Race 1.

 

Second position was the yellow machine of Andrea Iannone, yet another rookie of the WorldSBK grid, who set his fastest time of 1:28.154 on his Team GoEleven Ducati Panigale V4R. Iannone was yet another rider who capitalised on a draft, sitting closely behind Dominique Aegerter on his flying lap, timing his track position and slipstream perfectly to secure a front row start on his first ever World Superbike start.

 

And rounding out the podium and the front row of the grid was Alex Lowes [Kawasaki Racing Team].



Leading the way for Yamaha and leading the way on the second row of the grid is Dominique Aegerter [GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK], followed by Topraz Razgatlioglu [ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team] and Andrea Locatelli [Pata Prometeon Yamaha]

 

Australian Remy Gardner will be starting Race 1 of the flag-to-flag race this afternoon from the third row of the grid in P7, with his fastest time of 1:28:604.

 

It was great to see Sam Lowes back out there after his monster highside at the final turn in Free Practice 3, who will be starting his first ever World Superbike race in 9th position.

 

Jonathan Rea is evidently still struggling on his Yamaha, getting some assistance from his team mate Andrea Locatelli in their second run of superpol. The six-time World Champion clearly looking for a tow and using a strong team strategy to try and better his time certainly worked, with Rea finally lapping in the 1:28 second bracket, which was only good enough to land him 11th on grid for Race 1. 

 

Top six after WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’27.916s

2. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +0.238s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.323s

4. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.487s

5. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.604s

6. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.624s

Written by: Tayla Relph
Images by: Russell Colvin

 

Don’t miss a second of the action from the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round – 23 – 25th February 2024.
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