Rea heads final practice from Lowes

Full Qatar WorldSBK FP3 results

Jonathan Rea has topped the final practice session of 2019 ahead of future team-mate Alex Lowes in Qatar.

The reigning World Superbike champion was the only rider to duck into the 1m 57s bracket in the hot conditions at the Losail International Circuit in the late afternoon sunshine ahead of this evening’s qualifying and first race.

Rea heads final practice from Lowes

Full Qatar WorldSBK FP3 results

Jonathan Rea has topped the final practice session of 2019 ahead of future team-mate Alex Lowes in Qatar.

The reigning World Superbike champion was the only rider to duck into the 1m 57s bracket in the hot conditions at the Losail International Circuit in the late afternoon sunshine ahead of this evening’s qualifying and first race.

Rea topped the session for Kawasaki by just over two-tenths of a second from Lowes who will join the five-time world champion at the team in 2020 as he makes his final appearance for Pata Yamaha this weekend.

Loris Baz surged up to third place for Ten Kate Racing Yamaha, while Michael van der Mark made it three Yamahas inside the top four in the 20-minute session.

Alvaro Bautista led a quartet of Ducatis next on the timesheet in front of Team Goeleven Ducati’s Eugene Laverty, the Spaniard’s team-mate Chaz Davies and Barni Ducati’s Michael Ruben Rinaldi.

Tom Sykes kept up his fight inside the top 10 for BMW just ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu on the Puccetti Kawasaki having edged out fellow Kawasaki rider Leon Haslam.

With Markus Reiterberger in 12th for BMW and Jordi Torres in 13th for Pedercini Kawasaki, Leon Camier led the Moriwaki Althea Honda charge on his final outing for the team before heading to Barni Ducati for 2020.

Leandro Mercado claimed 15th place in FP3 for Orelac Racing Kawasaki ahead of Moriwaki Althea Honda’s Ryuichi Kiyonari, the retiring Marco Melandri and Althea Honda’s Alessandro Delbianco.

Wildcard Dominic Schmitter was shuffled up a place to 19th for the YART-run squad as Sandro Cortese failed to set a lap time for GRT Yamaha in FP3.

Read More