Having clinched a double victory in the opening round, Aruba Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega was back at the top of the WorldSSP times on Friday in Lombok.
The Italian’s 1’36.705 lap time headed the 21-strong pack by just 0.024s after a late charge from Kawasaki Puccetti’s Can Öncü saw him overhaul Dynavolt Triumph’s Niki Tuuli for second place in the combined free practice standings.
MV Agusta’s 2023 Supersport rookie Marcel Schrotter was fourth on Friday at the hot and steamy Mandalika circuit, with track temperatures peaking at 53℃ in the afternoon practice.
Ten Kate Yamaha’s Stefano Manzi was one of five fallers in FP2, the Italian dropping to an eventual fifth place after the turn 16 off in the final 15 minutes. Althea’s Federico Caricasulo settling for seventh after his own turn two off with Orelac VerdNatura’s Raffaele De Rosa splitting his countrymen in sixth.
WorldSSP rookie Jorge Navarro on the second Ten Kate R6 continued his learning process at a good pace, in eighth overall, with fellow Yamaha riders Glenn van Straalen (EAB) and Valentin Debise (GMT94) completing the top ten.
British riders John McPhee and Tarran Mackenzie completed the day 15th and 16th respectively - Mackenzie suffering at the hands of turn ten in the opening quarter of an hour - with Harry Truelove 21st.
