The Cremona Circuit in Italy is hosting the production-derived championship for the first time this weekend. The action got underway this morning, when the Superbike field headed out for the first free practice on a track that was still damp. Considering the conditions, and the fact that riders expected dry weather for the rest of the weekend, many riders, Tarran Mackenzie included, elected not to ride. Standing in for injured Adam Norrodin and having had no chance to test at Cremona, Ivo Lopes meanwhile used the session to at least get to grips with the layout. 

The track had fully dried in time for the afternoon’s FP2, allowing Mackenzie and Lopes to fully exploit the session, although they had their work cut out after essentially ‘losing’ the morning’s session due to the mixed conditions. Both riders put in the effort with their respective teams as they started to adapt the setup of their CBR1000RR-R bikes, but there is still work to be done. Mackenzie rounded out Friday with a time of 1’31.709, making a good step in the final stages to position twentieth in the combined standings, ahead of Lopes, twenty-fifth (1’32.747). 

Tarran Mackenzie 

“We didn’t go out this morning as there was no real point in the damp conditions. When FP2 got underway, I didn’t have good feeling at all, and the track was pretty dirty too which didn’t help. We made a slight change to our plan, and I was able to improve and then make another step at the end. I don’t think we’re far from where we were during testing here, so if we can get back to that level and find a bit more front-end feeling then I think we can do more tomorrow. Not ideal conditions for day one anyway, but I’m confident we can improve tomorrow, and the track should be in better shape too.” 

 Ivo Lopes 

“FP1 wasn’t particularly useful as the track conditions were mixed, not full wet and not dry either. But I used that session to understand the layout at least, as it’s my first time here. We had a small issue in FP2, which caused us to lose some time, and the track didn’t offer much grip either, but at least I now have some data and some references on which to build and improve tomorrow. So not a negative first day at all, but we can clearly do more. I will keep pushing and we’ll see what we can do in tomorrow’s FP3 to prepare for Superpole and Race 1.”