Double top ten for Team HRC in race 1 at Portimão

Team HRC riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona were on track at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve today for the first of the races making up round eleven of the 2023 Superbike World Championship

A constructive final morning practice saw both riders continue to work with their respective technicians. Both Lecuona and Vierge were able to improve by almost a second on their best time of yesterday and both riders were feeling confident as to their chances as they prepared for the subsequent Superpole.

Said Superpole session ran according to schedule and again in dry, sunny conditions. Lecuona and Vierge wasted no time, with both immediately able to improve on their practice times. Iker ultimately placed a strong fifth with a time of 1’40.133, securing a very useful and positive second row start for race 1. With two minutes to go, team-mate Vierge unfortunately suffered a crash through turn 13. Though unhurt, the incident meant he had no time to further improve on his time, thus qualifying in thirteenth position thanks to a 1’40.453 set earlier in the session.

The Team HRC riders were back out in the early afternoon for the first of the weekend’s 20-lap Superbike races. From fifth on the grid, Lecuona was lying eighth one lap in, while Vierge maintained his starting position, placing thirteenth through the opening stages. Each quickly gained a position while working to get into their rhythm around the technical Portuguese track. Lying eighth and tenth respectively at the mid-race point, Iker and Xavi maintained consistent pace very similar to that of the riders they were fighting against, which therefore meant that they were unable to progress further in terms of their positions. Lecuona nevertheless crossed the line a solid eighth, closely followed by Vierge, tenth.

Lecuona and Vierge will return to work tomorrow, lining up for the 10-lap Superpole race and the second and final Superbike race.