Team HRC ready for last continental round in Portimão

Round nine of the Superbike World Championship sees Team HRC and factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge travel to Portugal, and the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, which is set to host the last event on European asphalt before three overseas events in Argentina, Indonesia and Australia.

The team heads into this next round in a positive frame of mind after taking another small step in the right direction over the latest Barcelona race weekend.

Lecuona scored his first WorldSBK pole position, a clear demonstration of both his own outright speed and the fact that the FIREBLADE is more than capable over the flying lap. Vierge’s prompt reaction following a tough Friday, which led to two solid results on Sunday, shows that with a setup that offers more consistency, the Spanish duo can undoubtedly have their say in the top five. They also completed a two-day test at Aragón one week ago, track time that proved constructive as the team heads into the final part of the 2022 season.

Inaugurated in 2008, by the WorldSBK championship in fact, the Portuguese circuit makes for exciting racing and is particularly appreciated by riders for its undulating layout. Located in the Algarve, almost 300 km south of Lisbon, the weather should still be very pleasant heading into the autumn season. Measuring 4592 metres in length, the track is made up of 15 turns, nine right-handers and six left-handers.

Weekend schedule (CEST -1):

Friday

10.30 – 11.15 – Free Practice 1

15.00 – 15.45 – Free Practice 2

Saturday

9.00 – 9.30 – Free Practice 3

11.10 – 11.25 – Superpole

14.00 – Race 1

Sunday

9.00 – 9.15 – Warm-up

11.00 – Superpole race

14.00 – Race 2