2024-02-24 03:36:47
In all training sessions and races in Australia, the drivers only have access to the hard SC1 rear tires from Pirelli. Because of the track layout and the aggressive asphalt, the soft standard SCX rear tire is not available, nor is the super-soft SCQ qualifier.
For the 15-minute Superpole session (qualifying) on Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m., Phillip Island is ten hours ahead of CET, the drivers received two slightly softer SC0 rear tires.
It was therefore clear that Tom Sykes’ (BMW, 1:29.230 min) pole record from 2020 would fall.
During the test on Tuesday, Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) set a fantastic, but unofficial, record of 1:28.511 minutes.
A course record was set in each of the three free training sessions, with rookie Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Ducati) setting the fastest lap of the weekend up to Superpole with a time of 1:28.716 minutes.
The first notable best time in qualifying was achieved by Kawasaki factory rider Alex Lowes with a time of 1:28.423 min, the fastest Superbike lap ever in Phillip Island, in sunshine with 19 degrees Celsius air and 34 degrees asphalt temperature.
In the first stint, the drivers did two or three laps and then came into the pits to pick up a new rear tire.
On the second ride out, Andrea Iannone (Go Eleven Ducati) catapulted himself to the top, but was then surprised by Bulega, who was the only one to stay under 1:28 min with a time of 1:27.916 min and immediately moved up on his first weekend in the Superbike World Championship Starting position 1 stormed! The last time a rookie achieved this was in 2009, when future world champion Ben Spies humiliated his opponents.
After a four-year ban, Iannone sensationally raced into grid position 2, next to him is Alex Lowes.
Apart from the first race of the Superbike World Championship in 1988, the fact that Bulega and Iannone have two class newcomers at the front of the starting grid has never happened before.
As in 2023, Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha) showed a strong performance at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and, in fourth place, forms the second row of the grid together with Razgatlioglu and Locatelli.
The negative trend from the test was confirmed for world champions Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Yamaha), who only qualified for positions 9 and 11.
BMW works driver Michael van der Mark slipped in Turn 4 on his first flying lap and finished 16th on his second attempt.
Philipp Öttl (GMT94 Yamaha) was the only German in the field, finishing 18th, Scott Redding on the Bonovo-BMW a disappointing 19th.
The first race in Australia starts at 6 a.m. CET: It has been shortened from 22 to 20 laps, and the drivers have to come into the pits between laps 9 and 11 to have a different rear wheel with a new tire installed.
Honda factory driver Iker Lecuona cannot take part due to his shoulder injury from Tuesday’s test.
Results Superbike World Championship Phillip Island, Superpole:
1. Nicolo Bulega (I), Ducati, 1:27.916 min
2. Andrea Iannone (I), Ducati, +0.238 sec
3. Alex Lowes (GB), Kawasaki, +0,323
4. Dominique Aegerter (CH), Yamaha, +0,487
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu (TR), BMW, +0.604
6. Andrea Locatelli (I), Yamaha, +0.624
7. Remy Gardner (AUS), Yamaha, +0.688
8. Sam Lowes (GB), Ducati, +0,760
9. Alvaro Bautista (E), Ducati, +0.784
10. Michael Rinaldi (I), Ducati, +0.868
11. Jonathan Rea (GB), Yamaha, +0,974
12. Danilo Petrucci (I), Ducati, +0.987
13. Xavier Vierge (L), Honda, +1,084
14. Garrett Gerloff (USA), BMW, +1,129
15. Axel Bassani (I), Kawasaki, +1,202
16. Michael van der Mark (NL), BMW, +1,211
17. Bradley Ray (GB), Yamaha, +1,326
18. Philipp Öttl (D), Yamaha, +1,347
19. Scott Redding (GB), BMW, +1,810
20. Tito Rabat (E), Kawasaki, +1,893
21. Tarran Mackenzie (GB), Honda, +3,217
22. Adam Norrodin (MAL), Honda, +3,972
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