Something unusual happened in World Superbike Free Practice 3 at Imola. It seemed like Jonathan Rea was going to finish the session in first place, but with a crazy last lap Chaz Davies managed to…equal Rea’s laptime! Yes, because the Welsh Aruba.it Racing – Ducati rider performed the same laptime as the three times World Champion: 1’46.686. This proves once again that the leitmotiv of this race weekend is the duel between Davies and Rea, with the latter trying to stop Davies’ dominion (four wins in four races in the last two years).
The role of “first of the rest” has provisionally gone to Marco Melandri, who had already been fast in FP2. Chaz Davies’ team-mate ranked third with a best time of 1’47.126 and behind him we find the other Italian Lorenzo Savadori and Michael van der Mark.
Leon Haslam, “special guest” of this round with Puccetti Kawasaki (with which he will race also at Donington), finished Friday in 8th place and so he will go straight to Superpole 2 together also with Tom Sykes, Xavi Forés, Jordi Torres and Michael Rinaldi, third of the home heroes after Melandri and Savadori.
To be remarked, Jason O’Halloran finished his first Free Practice session at Imola in 22nd place. The Australian BSB rider will replace injured Leon Camier for the remainder of the race weekend.
Photo Credit: Marco Lanfranchi
