WorlSBK Assen FP1 Results | Scott Redding, Ducati hit the front at Assen

Scott Redding has started as he means to go on for Round 5 of the 2021 WorldSBK Championshio by scoring the fastest time in first free practice at Assen.

The series’ first visit to the Dutch venue since 2019 after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of last year’s event, though this is Redding’s first outing at Assen on a WorldSBK-spec Ducati, he did score a trio of wins there on the BSB-spec Ducati two years ago.

Looking for a boost to his fortunes after a difficult Donington Park weekend, Redding was in fine form as he lowered his best lap to 1m 34.591secs in the closing laps to fend off Jonathan Rea’s rapid final effort on the KawasakI ZX-10RR.

A close session with only one second covering first to 13th, it was a strong start to the weekend all round for Ducati with Chaz Davies up in third on the Go Eleven Panigale, while Michael Ruben Rinaldi was fourth fastest.

Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu popped in the fifth fastest time as the best of the Yamaha contingent, ahead of top BMW rider Tom Sykes in sixth and newly-signed for 2022 Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff in seventh.

Leon Haslam led the Honda challenge in eighth, well up on Alvaro Bautista - a triple winner with Ducati at Assen in 2019 - the Spaniard only able to manage 15th fastest.

Lucas Mahias and Andrea Locatelli rounded out the top ten positions on the privateer Puccetti Kawasaki and factory Yamaha.

There were no fallers during the session but - just as they were for MotoGP - stewards are being strict with track limits, with nine riders having lap times cancelled as a result of running off largely at Turn 17.

2021 WorldSBK Assen | Free Practice 1 [FP1] RESULTS