Iker Lecuona was quickest during FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice 1 (FP1) Friday morning at Balaton Park Circuit, in Hungary. Riding his Pirelli-shod Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4R on the 2.53-mile (4.08 km) track, the Spaniard recorded a 1:39.454 to lead the field of 22 riders.

His teammate, Nicolo Bulega was the best of the rest with a 1:39.697. Sam Lowes was third-fastest with a 1:39.922 on his ELF Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4R.

American Garrett Gerloff finished the opening session in 6th with a 1:40.576 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Danilo Petrucci was 15th on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR with a time of 1:41.296.

More from a press release issued by WorldSBK:

Lecuona beats Bulega at Balaton Park in FP1 by 0.243s, Sam Lowes in P3. The #7 was quick throughout the session and left it until his last flying lap to claim P1 from his factory Ducati teammate.

Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) set the pace in Free Practice 1 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship ahead of teammate Nicolo Bulega by almost a quarter of a second at the Balaton Park Circuit. The two factory Ducati riders, combined with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in third, were the only riders in the 1’39s bracket during the opening 45-minute session for the Motul Hungarian Round.

Lecuona put Bulega’s time under pressure in the latter stages of FP1 but was often losing out in Sector 4, which features having braking for Turn 15 heading into a technical sector. Having posted a 1’39.887s, the #7 briefly went into P1 and was often gaining time until the final section, before Bulega set a 1’39.697s to re-claim P1 – a position he held for most of the session before his teammate demoted him. On his last flying lap, Lecuona improved his time to a 1’39.454s to snatch P1 from his teammate by almost a quarter of a second to secure P1 in FP1. Bulega was forced to settle for second while Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) secured third place with a 1’39.922s, with the three Ducati riders the only riders in the 1’39s bracket.

Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) finished fourth in FP1 as he tried a new seat on his Panigale V4R machine which Team Manager Denis Sacchetti said in pitlane was in order to move his weight on the back of the bike and make ‘Balda’ more comfortable. He set a 1’40.242s. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) was fifth with Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) in sixth after the #31 slowly built his times as the session progressed.

Gerloff’s late improvement demoted Miguel Oliveira (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) after the Portuguese rider set a 1’40.593s. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) was eighth with Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing) in ninth – it was this venue last year that he first jumped on his team’s Panigale V4R and impressed. Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) rounded out the top ten.

The top six from WorldSBK FP1, full results here:

1. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’39.454s

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.243s

3. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.468s

4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +0.788s

5. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.962s

6. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) 1.122s

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