WorldSBK Most FP1: Ducati embarrasses the field; even with less fuel it’s still fast

As was to be expected: the “Superbike system,” meaning Dorna-Liberty and the Federation, takes even more fuel away from Ducati and at the end of the first session of the fifth World act at Most we find five of them ahead of everyone.

Up front is Nicolò Bulega, the same rider who’s on a winning streak of sixteen races, meaning all of this season’s (twelve) plus the last four of the previous one. The further cut of half a liter/hour in fuel flow, the third in the series, didn’t even produce a mouse. Ducati was winning, and will probably keep doing so. A simple prediction, even if we’ve only just gotten underway at the Czech Republic track. Bulega leads the quintet ahead of Sam Lowes (Marc VDS), the other factory rider Iker Lecuona, and the two terrors of the moment, namely Yari Montella (Barni) and Lorenzo Baldassarri (Go Eleven). The only difference compared to previous rounds is the Ducati twin ahead of Lecuona. We’re talking about a detail, because the rest is identical. Let’s see if and when the Federation will understand that controlling fuel flow to balance performance is utter nonsense.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that for this being just FP1, Nicolò Bulega was blazing fast: 1'31"130, just nine tenths off the lap record at the unique Most layout, characterized by an ultra-slow chicane and very fast, hairy corners, a layout that is very tough on tires to the point that Pirelli has brought only very hard compounds, like at Phillip Island. In the mix there’s also a new-spec rear, never tried by anyone.

In the carousel of fuel-flow meter tweaks, there’s also the extra half liter/hour granted to Yamaha. The two factory bikes, however, are far back (Vierge 14th, Locatelli 17th). The sting is finding the Turk Bahattin Sofuoglu, with the very private Motoxracing Yamaha R1, in eighth place, eight tenths off the Ducati but half a second better than the first factory rider. Slightly better Stefano Manzi with the R1 run by GRT, ninth. Yamaha is developing like a… shrimp, moving backward. We’ll see if anything changes in FP2 (3 pm).