Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) set the fastest time in both Free Practice sessions on Friday as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship's second round commenced at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal. The British rider adapted quickly to the circuit's challenging layout to lead the combined timesheets.
Lowes's best lap of 1:40.690 in the afternoon FP2 session kept him ahead of his rivals. The day's results position him as a strong contender heading into Saturday's Superpole qualifying and the first race of the weekend.
The opening round of the 2026 season was held in Australia, making this the European season opener. Reigning champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and other top riders like Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) completed the day further down the order, setting the stage for a competitive weekend.
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