WSS Aragon: MV rider Cluzel just heads off the Flying Coghlan

Kev Coghlan (DMC Panavto-Yamaha) looked on course to head up the 24-rider Supersport World Championship field after the first day of free practice, but he had to settle for second place, having led in the opening morning session.

Coghlan is only 0.019 seconds behind the official MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich F3 of Aussie race winner Jules Cluzel after the first two free practice sessions.

Cluzel’s leading lap time of 2’02.461 made him just over a second slower than Sam Lowes’s 2013 best lap, but he is already under the lap record pace with one more free practice and then the lone qualifying session to come on Saturday. 

In blazing sunshine Pata Honda rider Michael van Der Mark was third, with the top Kawasaki being the Intermoto Ponyexpres ZX-6R of Frenchman Florian Marino in fourth. Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda) was just behind, despite a recent skin graft to his left middle finger.

A tough opening day for championship favourite Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India) saw him lose an engine in the morning, and then struggle to go sixth after the first two free sessions.

Patrick Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) was seventh and former Moto2 rider Ratthapark Wilairot (Core PTR Honda) eighth.

Jack Kennedy finished his comeback day from injury in tenth place for his CIA Insurance Honda team.

1 16 J. CLUZEL   FRA MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich M.   MV Agusta F3 675  2’02.461
2 88 K. COGHLAN  GBR DMC Panavto-Yamaha    Yamaha YZF R6   2’02.480 0.019 0.019
3 60 M. VD MARK  NED PATA Honda World Supersport  Honda CBR600RR   2’02.684 0.223 0.204
4 21 F. MARINO   FRA Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres  Kawasaki ZX-6R   2’03.055 0.594 0.371
5 26 L. ZANETTI  ITA PATA Honda World Supersport  Honda CBR600RR   2’03.160 0.699 0.105
6 54 K. SOFUOGLU  TUR MAHI Racing Team India   Kawasaki ZX-6R   2’03.173 0.712 0.013
7 99 P. JACOBSEN  USA Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres  Kawasaki ZX-6R   2’03.362 0.901 0.189
8 14 R. WILAIROT  THA Core PTR Honda    Honda CBR600RR  2’03.875 1.414 0.513
9 84 R. RUSSO   ITA Team Lorini    Honda CBR600RR   2’03.907 1.446 0.032
10 4 J. KENNEDY  IRL CIA Insurance Honda   Honda CBR600RR   2’04.042 1.581 0.135
11 35 R. DE ROSA  ITA CIA Insurance Honda   Honda CBR600RR   2’04.226 1.765 0.184
12 61 F. MENGHI  ITA VFT Racing     Yamaha YZF R6   2’04.382 1.921 0.156
13 5 R. TAMBURINI  ITA San Carlo Puccetti Racing   Kawasaki ZX-6R   2’04.519 2.058 0.137
14 24 M. BUSSOLOTTI  ITA Team Lorini    Honda CBR600RR   2’04.638 2.177 0.119
15 65 V. LEONOV  RUS MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich M.   MV Agusta F3 675  2’04.695 2.234 0.057