WorldSBK Assen Friday FP Results | Jonathan Rea survives wobble to top times

Jonathan Rea has ended the opening day of WorldSBK action at Assen atop the timesheets despite a wild moment that almost flung him from his Kawasaki.

The Ulsterman was engaged in a fierce head-to-head with GRT Yamaha’s Garrett Gerloff during the closing stages of the session as they fought for Friday supremacy, but it was the defending champion that would get the nod.

This was despite Rea getting it very wrong mid-way through the session with a major slide and almost a high-side on the run to the Geert Timmer chicane, the Kawasaki Racing rider lucky to keep it contained to a mere wobble.

How?
How?
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Another incredible save from @jonathanrea!

Tell us how please#NLDWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/VE4afxo62G

— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) July 23, 2021

In the end his 1m 34.391secs lap would be a comfortable 0.150secs faster than Gerloff, the American benefiting from prior track knowledge having raced the Petronas SRT Yamaha M1 during the Dutch TT earlier in the month.

A triple race winner at Assen two years ago on a Ducati, Alvaro Bautista was nonetheless the surprise package on the factory HRC Honda as he slashed 1.3secs from his FP1 time to record the third quickest lap of the day.

Tom Sykes made it four manufacturers inside the top four with a strong run to fourth for BMW, ahead of championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu, the Turk getting to grips with Assen on a Yamaha for the first time.

Benefiting from following Rea on his fast lap, Lucas Mahias was an impressive sixth best for Puccetti Kawasaki, placing him ahead of factory rider Alex Lowes in ninth, the pair split by the factory Ducatis of Scott Redding, - who didn’t improve on his session-topping fast lap from FP1 as he slid down to seventh - and Michael Ruben Rinaldi in eighth.

Home favourite Michael van der Mark could only manage tenth but he was only 0.6secs down on the top spot in what was a keenly fought and close session. 

Top three in FP1, Chaz Davies was the big loser, his failure to improve - after being baulked on his fastest lap - dropping him to 14th.

2021 WorldSBK Assen | Friday Free Practice [FP1 - FP2 Combined] RESULTS