Source: Supplied.

One further free practice session tomorrow morning will decide which of the WorldSBK riders make it into Tissot-Superpole, as an increase in track temperature in this afternoon’s FP2 prevented many of them from improving at Jerez.

The current running order at the end of Day 1 is mostly unchanged from the morning’s results, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) heading teammate and 2015 world champion-elect Jonathan Rea by 0.024s, the pair a fraction ahead of Alex Lowes.

The Voltcom Crescent Suzuki rider elevated himself into the top 10 despite a mid-session tumble, which bodes well for FP3. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) clung on to fourth, 0.099s behind Sykes after he too failed to improve.

Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) moved one step down to fifth place, while Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) did improve this afternoon, the Spaniard ending the day sixth after losing the front at turn two, a few metres up the track from where he also fell few hours earlier.

Torres’ teammate Leon Haslam was seventh ahead of Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati), Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team).

11th to 15th positions were the most altered. Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) will head into tomorrow 11th ahead of Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).

Grillini SBK Team Kawasaki rider Alex Phillis rounded out the field in 22nd position, 4.670s off the pace of Sykes’ front-running time on Friday afternoon.

Three-time World Supersport Champion Kenan Sofuoglu has topped the opening day of World Supersport action at the 4.423km Jerez circuit after two closely fought 45-minute practice sessions.

Sofuoglu, who currently leads the championship standings, headed the field by 0.189s, his morning time setting the day’s best time. There was drama for the championship leader in the early minutes of FP2 however, as the Turkish rider collided with Kevin Wahr (SMS Honda) after just six minutes, the German closing the door on his rival without realising he was there.

Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) suffered a fast crash in the final seconds of the FP2, the MV Agusta rider going down at turn five. After being examined by the circuit doctors it appears that his title ambitions have taken a blow as the diagnosis of an open fracture of the left tibia and fibula along with a right shoulder dislocation means he is unfit to continue this weekend.

With none of the top five riders able to improve this afternoon the aforementioned Cluzel – now unfortunately ruled out of contention – and Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) remained in second and third overall, with the returning Lucas Mahias (MG Competition Yamaha), Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) and PJ Jacobsen (CORE Motorsport Thailand) completing the top six.

Vladimir Leonov returns to the series with DMC Racing, the Russian who has stood on the podium in the past ended the opening day seventh despite suffering a technical problem in FP2.

Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK #25) and Marco Faccani (San Carlo Puccetti Racing) completed the top 10. Interestingly Jacobsen, Zanetti and Faccani were the only riders in the top ten to improve this afternoon.

Leading Australian in the field was Glenn Scott (AARK Racing Honda) in 14th position overall, while Aiden Wagner (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) was two places further behind in 16th.

Click here for detailed results