The WorldSSP riders got their first chance to run at the Navarra circuit in Free Practice 1, and it was Gonzalez who would go quickest of all, ending the session 0.255s ahead of his nearest competitor with a time of 1’41.181. As the temperatures rose in the afternoon, the 19-year-old Spanish rider was unable to improve his time, but his FP1 lap was still good enough for fastest overall.
Championship leader Aegerter was quickly on the pace in the morning session, and came closest to Gonzalez’s time in second. The Swiss rider was able to take a step forward in the afternoon, with his time of 1’41.197 just 0.016s behind the ParkinGO Yamaha youngster.
Taking part in his second weekend with the Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha squad, Caricasulo was third fastest in FP1, matching that position in FP2, albeit two-tenths down on his best from the morning. That was good enough to see the Italian rider end the day in third overall, equalling his best Friday result since returning to WorldSSP.
Standing in for the injured Hannes Soomer at the Kallio Racing Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team, Simon Jespersen made an instant impact, with the 20-year-old fourth quickest in FP1, which is where he ended his first day in the WorldSSP class.
GMT94 Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team’s Jules Cluzel was sixth in FP1, but was able to improve in the afternoon to end the day sixth overall, ahead of EAB Racing’s Randy Krummenacher.
Evan Bros Yamaha WorldSSP Supported Team’s Steven Odendaal was another rider who was able to go quicker in FP2, ending the day in seventh, with bLU cRU graduate Luca Bernardi eighth. Kallio Racing Yamaha’s Vertti Takala was 10th, making it nine Yamaha R6 bikes in the top 10 positions.
Ten Kate Yamaha’s Galang Hendra Pratama was 18th, with Evan Bros Yamaha’s Peter Sebestyen 22nd, while Biblion Motoxracing Yamaha’s Maria Herrera marked her return from injury in 25th.
For Friday’s combined times, click here.
