Ducati’s Rinaldi sets the pace on opening day of Portimao test

January 31, 2023

Rea and Bautista second and third with the top three separated by just 0.068s

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) was the fastest rider on Tuesday in Portimao clocking a 1:39.639s lap at the very end of the day.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) finished 0.061s off Rinaldi’s time on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Reigning WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista completed Day 1’s top three finishing 0.068s adrift from his teammate.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) made his first appearance with his newly revealed 2023 livery.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) adapted well to the Portuguese circuit as he was the fastest rookie in ninth, while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) were 15th and 16th respectively.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) put in a late lap to take spot with a 1’39.639s as he continued to keep working as he did in Jerez. He was joined in the top three by teammate and reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) in third, with Bautista lapping only 0.068s slower than Rinaldi as the new Panigale V4 R continued to impress in its early days. Six-time Champion Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was second on Day 1 after posting a 1’39.700s, ahead of his main rivals from 2022, as he goes in search of an unprecedented seventh World Championship. 2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was fourth fastest after posting a 1’39.851s, with a big focus on the rear of his Yamaha YZF R1 machine as was the case at Jerez last week.Independent riders rounded out the top ten as they once again shone in testing, with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in ninth, Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in 10th and his teammate, Loris Baz, in 11th; Gerloff the highest-placed BMW rider with Gerloff just over a second off Razgatlioglu’s time and Baz only 0.039s behind his teammate.

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