The World Superbike championship’s first free practice at Imola kicked off with the usual Carlos Checa leading the top of timesheets.
Checa who needs just 26 points to win the 2011 title this weekend, put in a blazing 1.
49.
294 final lap that once again re-confirmed his dominance this season.
Behind the Althea Ducati rider was a suprising Leon Haslam on the BMW Motorrad Motorsport machine followed by Marco Melandri, who doesn’t seem to have have forgotten the Italian circuit, even if a lot of years have gone since his 125cc days.
Jakub Smrz was fourth, but he rose to the spot in the final minute of the session in one of his usual do-or-die laps.
Jonathan Rea took 5th and officially debuting the ride-by-wire system on his CBR 1000RR.
Sylvain Guintoli took sixth ahead of Michel Fabrizio, Ayrton Badovini, Leon Camier and Eugene Laverty.
Ducati Barni Racing and Althea Racing wild-cards, Alessandro Polita, Federico Sandi and Matteo Baiocco were 12th, 16th and 17th respectively, ahead of Kawasaki’s Joan Lascorz and the still suffering Ruben Xaus.
Current CEV Stock Extreme champion Javier Fores who is replacing the retired James Toseland for the last three races of season for BMW Italia, was last and a little more than three seconds off pace.
WSBK Imola FP1 Results:01- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 1’49.
29402- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
23703- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 0.
48804- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
61605- Jonathan Rea – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 0.
67206- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
69907- Michel Fabrizio – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 0.
77608- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
79209- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
90310- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 1.
10811- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
14812- Alex Polita – Barni Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
29913- Noriyuki Haga – Pata Racing Team Aprilia – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 1.
32314- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
33915- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 1.
41916- Federico Sandi – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
44717- Matteo Baiocco – Barni Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1.
49318- Joan Lascorz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
53119- Mark Aitchison – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
64820- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 2.
18721- Ruben Xaus – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 2.
56522- Javier Fores – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 3.
222