After finishing ninth in FP1, Lowes made an immediate jump as he set the fastest lap of the ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚday on just his second flying lap. 

Over half a second clear of teammate Jonathan Reꦅa, Lowes’ early time of 1:34.553s was proving difficult to beat, especially in sector four. 

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Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who endured a tough FP1, had to abandon his opening run after just a few laps when smoke was coming out of t෴he front of his Panigale V🔯4 R. 

Lowes then improved again before Remy Gardner and Alvaro Bautista managed ♌to reduce his advantage to under thꦉree tenths. 

While his impressive final secไtor was keeping him atop the leaderboard, Lowes was not the most consistent rider on-track.

T🐷hat instead went the way of Bautista who was continuing♔ to lap within a couple of tenths of the fastest time, something no other rider could do. 

With the issue thought to have been resolved, Rinaldi headed back out on circ♎uit before making an immediate return to pit lane.

The Italian did so whilst shaking his right hand vigorously after it appeared as though his right hand might had been 🤪injured.&nbs𒀰p;

As lap times began to improve with 12 minutes to go, including Bradley Ray who was just four tenths off after three sectors in what is his WorldSBK debut, a red flag stopped the actiꦛon after an inflatable croco🍌dile blew onto the track.

Razgatlioglu was the oncoming rider who nearly made contact with the balloon, before the red flag wa🍬s quickly lifted and on-track action resumed. 

On his first flying lap, Bautista blasted to the top of the leaderboard with a time of 1⛄:34.316s - two tenths clear of Lowes. 

Bautista rema🧸ined unchallenged throughout to the end of the session, while it was another difficult practice for Razgatlioglu who could only manage P10.

Assen World Superbike records

Most Wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team (16)

Lap record - 1’32.934s Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team (2022)

2022 race winners

Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team

Race 2 - Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.it Ducati

Bautista on top in opening Assen WorldSBK practice

Alex Lowes was the early pacesetter as he led a factory KRT 1-2 from teammate Jonathan Rea. Lowes’ time⛎ of 1:36.070s was then smas🏅hed by Rea as the six-time Superbike champion went six tenths clear. 

Bautista and Bassani were the next riders able to break the♕ 1m 36s barrier, however, both Ducati riders were over four t🍒enths off the time set by Rea. 

Conitnuing to find the pace as his opening stint developed, reig🌃ning world champion Bautistaꦺ then closed to within a tenth of Rea on his next lap.

As Re🍸a and Bautista kept up their battle for top spot, Toprak Razgatlioglu was down in 23rd place after spending the majority of the first 15 minutes 𝓰in pit lane. 

When Razgatlioglu did post hꦿis first flying lap, the 2021 world champion jumped up to tenth pl๊ace before making that P5.

Leading the way for the rookies was Remy Gardner, with the Australian making a very bright start in third with les♊s than 20 minutes remaining of FP1.

With minimal improvements being made by riders, Rea remained in a comfortable first placꦇe as he led B🌌autista by over three tenths.

The 16-time race winner at Assen posted a time of 1:34.774s which was the only sub 1m ꧒3꧃5s lap of the session until Bautista overhauled Rea with a time of 1:34.698s.

Making his return after breaking his leg in a 𝄹clash with Lowes at Mandalika, Loris Baz brought his session to an early end after removing his leathers with a quarter of FP1 left to run. 

However, this was due to an issue with his M 1000 RRও and not because of the injury causing him to postpone riding until FP2.

Assen 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