Honda HRC P7 with Vierge in SBK Race 1 at Estoril

The Honda HRC team has completed the first of the weekend’s WorldSBK races at Estoril Circuit a solid seventh with Xavi Vierge. A crash on lap four unfortunately put paid to Iker Lecuona’s efforts, while test rider Tetsuta Nagashima crossed the line sixteenth.

Earlier in the day, a third and final free practice gave the factory riders a final chance to refine the setup of their CBR1000RR-R machines prior to Superpole. Both Vierge and Lecuona were able to improve on their best times of Friday, which left them confident — based on their respective circumstances — going into qualifying.

The Superpole qualifying session ran in dry conditions. After initially setting a 1’35.549, Vierge returned to the track with fresh tyres, the Spaniard hungry for more. Saving his best for last and putting in an impressive 1’35.255, the factory rider secured an important spot on the second row of the grid, in fifth position, for Race 1. Teammate Lecuona also made two exits during this brief 15-minute phase, his fastest lap coming with less than a minute to go. With a time of 1’35.920, Iker qualified fifteenth for the weekend’s first race. Test rider Nagashima completed qualifying in twentieth position.

The weekend’s first 21-lap Superbike began as scheduled but was brought to an almost immediate halt with a red flag after a Turn 1 incident involving four riders, one of which Nagashima. Although he did not crash, the Japanese rider came into contact with one of the crashed riders.

Restarted a short time later, the race was reduced to 20 laps. Though keen to exploit his starting position, Vierge slipped three positions to eighth right at the start. The Spaniard immediately set about making up that ground, but it was no easy task. Holding seventh and lying just three tenths from closest rival, Xavi worked hard to maintain consistent lap times. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to move close enough to his rivals to execute a pass, meaning that he had to settle for seventh across the line today, a result he is keen to improve upon tomorrow.

Lecuona held his starting position – fifteenth – through the opening laps but unfortunately crashed on lap four, at turn 3. Though luckily completely unhurt, Iker was unable to rejoin the race. Test rider Nagashima completed the race just outside the points zone, in sixteenth place, collecting a lot of useful data in the process. The Honda HRC team will be back in action tomorrow, taking part in the Superpole Race and Superbike Race 2.