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Phillip Island WorldSBK: Melandri tops damp opening practice

Aruba Ducati’s Marco Melandri topped the opening WorldSBK free practice session of the 2018 season at a damp Phillip Island, setting a 1’42.974 to edge out reigning champion Rea by a little over a tenth of a second with a late-charging Eugene Laverty putting his Milwaukee Aprilia in third.

Melandri out with five minutes left on the clock and promptly stole second from Barni Ducati’s Xavi Fores with a 1’43.445 and then bagged top spot with his final lap of the period - which was red flagged with five seconds left to run. Laverty is four-tenths behind his old nemesis.

Fores slipped down to fourth place with his 1’43.455 with Britain’s Alex Lowes ending in fifth after sitting in second on the half hour. Series rookie PJ Jacobsen rocketed to sixth place with his final lap on the Triple M Honda, closely followed by Leon Camier on the Red Bull Honda.

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Chaz Davies finished up in eighth, one ahead of Michael van der Mark who had been lapping on track with the Welshman. MotoGP refugee Yonny Hernandez completed the top ten with Tom Sykes in 11th place.

Roman Ramos, Lorenzo Savadori, Jake Gagne and wet weather star Loris Baz rounded out the top 15. 'Sideshow' Wayne Maxwell was the leading wildcard in 17th behind Topratz and ahead of Jordi Torres.

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