WorldSBK Indonesia: Bautista takes charge for FP2

Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista upped the WorldSBK pace in FP2, completing Friday at Mandalika firmly in charge.

The sole rider under the 1’34 barrier, Bautista’s 1’33.626 final effort sat half a second clear of Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu with Ducati teammate Michael Rinaldi completing the top three almost a full second behind.

The afternoon kicked off with a bang as initial laps were immediately quicker than the morning’s best. Razgatlioglu once again setting the pace thanks to a 1’35.727 with Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani and Bautista vying for the runner up spot on their respective Ducatis.

GRT Yamaha’s Garrett Gerloff improved on his 16th from FP1 with a shot for sixth in the opening minutes, Go Eleven’s Philipp Oettl just 0.02s shy of Aruba’s Rinaldi to complete the top three after their second hot lap efforts.

Hafizh Syahrin brought out the red flag after a highside at turn eight, his MIE Honda left stricken in the middle of the track with 38 minutes left on the clock.

The resuming action saw Honda’s Iker Lecuona, KRT’s Jonathan Rea and BMW’s Michael van der Mark straight out of pitlane as the trio looked to set their first times of FP2. Lecuona immediately striking for third before improving again next time around to take the runner-up position from the returning Xavi Fores on the Barni Ducati.

Razgatlioglu then Rea took turns at the top as the pace dipped to 1’35.654. Lecuona the next to succumb to the Lombok layout with the red flag brought out as the Spaniard required trackside assistance at turn four.

Bautista took charge for the final half an hour with a 1’34.748, six tenths ahead of his Yamaha rival before Razgatlioglu hit back with his next two attempts. 1’34.0 now the time to beat at the halfway point