Engines heat up once again in Lombardy for the second free practice session: Bulega leads, while Bautista crashes again.
On the scorching asphalt of Cremona, FP2 kicks off under extreme conditions, but the riders don’t hold back and hit the track with determination. After setting the pace in FP1, Nicolò Bulega confirms his dominance in the second session as well. Right behind him, however, Axel Bassani shows a competitive pace that promises a fierce battle for the rest of the weekend.
It’s a disastrous day for Alvaro Bautista: the veteran Spaniard ends up in the gravel twice more, capping off a very difficult afternoon. Early in the session, he crashes at low speed in Turn 8, but the mechanics from Team Aruba.it manage to fix the bike in time for him to continue. However, right after getting back on track, he immediately slides out again at Turn 2—another scuffed-up suit and another bike needing repairs.
Meanwhile, surprises come from Razgatlioglu (2nd), Bassani (3rd), Locatelli (5th), and Lecuona (6th). Ducati won’t have it easy on this track: while Bulega seems to have an extra gear compared to the rest, the manufacturers’ battle is more intense than ever. Ducati, BMW, Yamaha, Honda, and even the two Bimotas—nearly all the manufacturers are in the hunt for an Italian podium.
Unfortunately, Axel crashes at the end while on his flying lap, but throughout the session, he demonstrated that he absolutely has the potential to be among the frontrunners.
Jonathan Rea, meanwhile, has been declared fit after FP1: he will take part in the entire race weekend, even though he’s not yet back to full physical form.
Photo: Nicolò Bulega
