Rollercoaster Friday as Gardner and Aegerter Complete Free Practice in Portimão
Remy Gardner and Dominique Aegerter were back in action as Round 2 of the 2025 WorldSBK season kicked off with Friday’s free practice sessions at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal. The GYTR GRT Yamaha duo wrapped up the day in 13th and 15th place on the combined timesheets.
In the opening session at 10:35 local time, both riders focused on race setup and long-run pace, maintaining consistent speed while using the same set of tyres throughout the 45-minute outing. Gardner clocked a best lap of 1’41.972, placing him 13th, while Aegerter posted a 1’42.600, finishing 16th.
Despite warmer track conditions in the afternoon, both riders managed to improve their lap times. Continuing to prioritise race pace over a single fast lap, Gardner shaved 0.878s off his morning time, setting a 1’41.094 to end the session 12th. Aegerter made an even bigger step forward, improving by 1.172s to record a 1’41.428, finishing 15th.
FREE PRACTICES COMBINED RESULTS
Remy Gardner – 13th (1’41.094)
“Conditions were quite different from the test and managing them wasn’t easy. Still, while our position isn’t ideal, I’m confident we can step up our performance tomorrow. Our pace in the morning wasn’t bad, and I believe we can make another step forward to be closer to the front. A strong qualifying will be crucial to set up a solid Race 1.”
Dominique Aegerter – 15th (1’41.428)
“It wasn’t the easiest Friday for us here in Portimão, but we focused mainly on race pace rather than outright speed, which is positive. Our position isn’t where we want to be, but the data we collected throughout the sessions should help us make solid progress tomorrow, starting from Superpole, which will be key for a strong Race 1. We’ll keep working hard, and I’m confident we can take a step in the right direction.”
