Imola World Superbike FP3 Results: Michael Ruben Rinaldi fastest again as Alvaro Bautista closes in

Results from Free Practice 3, round eight of the 2023 World Superbike Championship at Imola, Italy.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi, Italian WorldSBK 14 July
Michael Ruben Rinaldi, Italian WorldSBK 14 July

Continuing their strong showing from day-one, Alvaro Bautist🐲a led a Ducati 1-2-3 to begin ꦰFP3.

Danilo Petrucci was the rider in second while Axel Bassani rounded out the ☂top three. A time of 1:47.804s was set by Bautista before Toprak Razgatlioglu set the f🐓astest lap of the weekend.

Razgatlioglu set a 1:47.115s as Bassani also jumped ahead of Bautista. As the Italian thr🦂eatened to beat Razgatlioglu’s time, Petrucci had to return to pit lane after suffering an issue at turns 14 and 15. ꧃;

Bassani then took over top♑ spot as Razgatlioglu lost his lap time after failing to slow for yellow flags. 

Fastest at the end of Friday’s running, MIchael Ruben Rinaldi moved up to second b😼ehind his fellow Ducati rider.

Razgatlioglu looked like regaining top spot a few laps later after posting the fastest third sector of the session, however, the Yamaha rider aborted his lap and retur𓆏ne✱d to his garage. 

Off top spot for much of the weekend, Bautista finally started to show his pace as he went quickest by tꦬw🦄o tenths.

A lap time that seemingly came 🎃from nowhere, Scott Redding went s♉econd fastest after using the tow of Rinaldi, who went P3. 

Rinaldi then pumped in the best lap of the weekend after setting a time of 1:46.389s. Although under threat, Rinaldi held✨ strong at the top of the leaderboard after Bautista’s latest lap.

✃The reigning world champion closed out his latest effort just over a tenth down on Rinaldi. That margin was cu😼t to under a tenth but Rinaldi remained fastest.

2023 World Superbike Imola, Italy - Free Practice (3) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Michael Ruben RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati1:46.389s
2Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.073s
3Scott ReddingGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+0.312s
4Andrea LocatelliITAPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+0.489s
5Garrett GerloffUSABonovo Action BMW+0.614s
6Toprak RazgatliogluTURPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+0.704s
7Remy GardnerAUSGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+0.739s
8Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+0.845s
9Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.878s
10Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+1.104s
11Bradley RayGBRMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.109s
12Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.144s
13Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+1.158s
14Leon HaslamGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+1.163s
15Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+1.333s
16Dominique AegerterSWIGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.428s
17Danilo PetrucciITABarni Spark Racing Team+1.530s
18Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+1.644s
19Lorenzo BaldassarriITAGMT94 Yamaha+2.011s
20Tito RabatSPAPuccetti Kawasaki+2.976s
21Eric GranadoBRAPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+3.026s
22Roberto TamburiniITAPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+3.177s
23Isaac VinalesSPATPR by Vinales Racing+3.356s
24Gabriele RuiuITABmax Racing BWM+3.380s
25Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+3.896s

Imola WorldSBK Records 

Fastest Lap -  Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Ducati 2019 1:45.727s

2019 Race Winners

Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 

Race 2 - Cancelled

Several riders were finding the harsh braking zones at Imola difficu🤡lt to contend with as Loris Baz and Dominique Aegerter both ran off in the final ten minutes. 

Weekend Schedule (UK time)

Friday 

Free Practice 1: 09:30-10:15

Free Practice 2: 14:00-14:45

Saturday 

Free Practice 3: 08:00-08:30

Superpole: 10:10-10:25

Race 1: 13:00

Sunday 

Warm-up: 08:00-08:15

Superpole Race: 10:00

Race 2: 13:00

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