A superb 1.33.103 lap from world champion Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) saw him gap his nearest challenger by 0.400 seconds after the second Free Practice session was completed at Phillip Island.
He was under the existing race lap record with his best lap today, which was set in the first session. Spots of rain near the end of FP1 may have held some riders back in their final push, but Mahias charged on to the top of the first day rankings.
WorldSSP returnee Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha) continued his good form from testing to go second, with another former GP rider Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing Yamaha) making a great debut in his new class, third fastest overall.
All three of the top riders were on Yamaha machines, with the next fastest competitor being Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), in fourth place. Yet another Yamaha rider, Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team), was right behind him in fifth.
Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) placed sixth, and he was the last rider inside the same second as Mahias.
Local hero Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) ended his first day back as a full-time rider in seventh; Jules Cluzel (NRT Yamaha) was eighth for his new WorldSSP team.
Two British riders and one British bike completed the top ten, as Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) finished ninth and Kyle Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini Honda) tenth, completing the automatic qualifiers into Superpole 2.
By Gordon Ritchie
