Nicolo Bulega narrowly beat Toprak Razgatlioglu in opening practice for the 2024 Jerez WorldSBK setting the stage for an exciting title decider season finale.
As the riders took to the track for the first time, the Aruba.it Ducati rider quickly established himself as a formidable competitor, setting a blistering pace that would ultimately see him finish at the top of the time sheets.
With a lap time of 1:39.744, Nicolo Bulega narrowly edged out Toprak Razgatlioglu, who clocked in just 0.022 seconds slower at 1:39.766. The performance not only solidified the Italian’s dominance in the early stages of the weekend but also set the tone for what promises to be an exhilarating final round of the season.
From the outset, Bulega’s performance was marked by confidence and precision as he was the first rider to break into the 1:39s, showcasing his ability to push his Ducati Panigale V4 R to its limits.
However, Razgatlioglu, riding for ROKiT BMW Motorrad, wasn’t far behind. After initially taking the lead, he briefly held the fastest lap before Bulega retaliated with a remarkable lap that reclaimed his position at the front.
Rounding the top three was Andrea Iannone from Team Go Eleven, who finished with a time of 1:39.967, just over two-tenths of a second behind Razgatlioglu. His performance indicated that he was also in contention for a strong showing this weekend, as he consistently pushed to maintain competitive lap times throughout the session.
Pata Prometeon Yamaha’s Jonathan Rea secured the fourth fastest lap with a time of 1:40.048, demonstrating the six time WorldSBK champion still has what it takes to compete at a high level despite being slightly off the pace compared to the leaders.
Iker Lecuona from Team HRC finished fifth clocking in at 1:40.241 while Sam Lowes followed closely in sixth with a time of 1:40.347 on his Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati.
Scott Redding and Andrea Locatelli came in seventh and eighth respectively as Alvaro Bautista and Danilo Petrucci rounded out the top ten, showcasing a diverse range of talent within the field.
However, not all riders had smooth sessions. Alex Lowes faced significant technical difficulties that hampered his performance; he struggled with bike issues that prevented him from setting an early time and ultimately finished 13th.
Similarly, Alessandro Delbianco encountered problems when his exhaust silencer broke free from its bracket during practice, further complicating his efforts on track.
The British wildcards made their presence felt as well; Kyle Ryde and Tommy Bridewell finished 22nd and 23rd respectively after facing challenges throughout their runs.
They were just behind HRC wildcard Tetsuta Nagashima in 21st place, indicating that while they may not have topped the charts, they were gaining valuable experience competing against some of the best riders in the world.
As the season finale unfolds, it is clear that it will be critical for both Bulega and Razgatlioglu as they contend for championship points in what is shaping up to be an intense title decider weekend.
Razgatlioglu holds a significant lead in the championship standings heading into the 2024 Jerez WorldSBK round—46 points ahead of Bulega.
