BURIRAM, Thailand –Â Alvaro Bautista put Ducati on top Friday during World Superbike practice at the Chang Int’l Circuit.
Bautista, who opened the World Superbike season with a sweep of the action at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in February, paced both practice sessions Friday at Buriram.
His best lap came in the second session, which saw him top the charts with a 1:32.971. He was closely followed by reigning World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea, who ended the day second fastest aboard his Kawasaki at 1:33.269.
Rookie Sandro Cortese of GRT Yamaha WorldSBK impressed by putting down the third fastest lap of the day during the second session. He was followed by the Pata Yamaha duo of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Marco Melandri was sixth fastest for GRT Yamaha WorldSBK, with Leon Haslam seventh on the second Kawasaki. Eugene Laverty, Leon Camier and Tom Sykes were eighth through 10th.