Jonathan Rea immediately master at Phillip Island, Bautista behind

Superbike, times

After more than two years, the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to the track on the magical Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit hosting Australia’s Grand Ridge Brewery Round, the last act of the 2022 season. At the end of the first day in the lead is Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

Good Friday for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who is the fastest in FP1 and shows off a great pace. The Northern Irishman boasts six wins at Phillip Island and aims to put an end to the winless streak that opened at Estoril. Also doing well is his boxmate Alex Lowes, third in the combined on the track where he won in 2020.

Newly crowned world champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) finished FP1 in second place just 22 thousandths behind Rea despite a crash in Turn 4. The Spaniard in 2019 made a great debut with Ducati by signing a magical hat trick. Bautista produced a series of consistent laps; his teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi was 10th at the end of the day.

Not the best Friday for Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), who ended his first day with the fourth fastest time without being able to improve during the afternoon. Behind him was the other factory Yamaha of Andrea Locatelli, just 51 thousandths behind the Turk.