Having resolved the delays in tire delivery at the last moment, the Superbike finally started the engines at Phillip Island, but it was a traumatic start. In the first part of the day, many, many people flew away. The most serious consequences affected Iker Lecuona, a protégé of Honda HRC: the highside at turn eleven, one of the fastest, caused him an acromioclavicular injury to his left shoulder. He will be checked again by doctors on Thursday, his participation in the first round of the 2024 World Cup is in doubt. It’s raining in the wet at Honda, which went terribly badly in the previous testing outings in Jerez and Portimao.
Jonathan Rea hits hard
High risk morning too Jonathan Rea, who also landed violently in the same turn 11. The Yamaha rider suffered an abrasion wound to his left knee and spent a long time in the medical center. Not the best start to the week on the Australian track, which is traditionally one of the most favorable to the six-time world champion. Michael van der Mark had previously crashed at turn two. At the end of the session, repeated accidents also occurred at Ducati. First it was Alvaro Bautista’s turn, who crashed at the very fast turn seven, then Davide Bulega. Finally, Andrea Iannone’s debut on the asphalt, who lost his front end at the Honda hairpin, turn 4. A low-speed crash, without any damage even to the bike, so much so that the former MotoGP rider returned to the pits normally.
Nicolò Bulega insists
At the end of the four hours in the morning, the fastest lap bears the signature of Nicolò Bulega, who is now not to be considered simply a rookie, but a serious candidate for the positions that count. He hasn’t raced in a Superbike yet, but in Jerez and Portiamo he finished three out of four sessions ahead and the same tune is playing here. “He is among the candidates for the World Cup” claims his partner Alvaro Bautista: it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration. In second place in the first round standings is Andrea Iannone, trailing by just 111 thousandths: there was no doubt that at Phillip Island, one of his magical tracks, we would see him immediately in front again. We remind you that on Saturday he will return to the competition more than four years after his last performance in the top class. Following the usual suspects: Toprak Razgatlioglu, Andrea Locatelli and Alvaro Bautista. Conclusion at 07:40 Italian time.
Photo: WorldSBK
