Round three of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship got underway at the TT Circuit Assen with former MotoAmerica class champion and multi-time Superbike race winner Garrett Gerloff competing in two free practice sessions aboard the #31 Kawasaki WorldSBK Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
Under cool weather and track conditions for the first free practice session, Gerloff found a good feeling with his bike, having made a breakthrough in his understanding of his machine at the previous round in Portugal. He was 12th-quickest after the first practice session.
The Texan went a little faster in FP2, which was held in warmer and sunnier conditions than the morning’s FP1 outing, and he ended the day 17th overall. He was expecting to make even greater progress in FP2, but despite pushing as hard as he dared, he was not able to set a fast enough lap time to keep himself more towards the front of the pack.
“In FP1, I wasn’t feeling so bad, and I thought we had a good start to the day,” Gerloff said. “I was trying my best in the second session but we just didn’t make any improvement, which is frustrating. We are trying to find more speed but it is just not coming so easily. We will look again tomorrow and try to find more pace.”
On Saturday, there will be one more free practice session for GG31 and his Italian-based team to work on a final pre-race set-up before Superpole Qualifying will determine each rider’s final Race One grid spot. Then, Saturday will culminate with the first 21-lap race of the weekend.
A 10-lap Superpole Race followed by a 21-lap Race Two will wrap up the weekend at Assen on Sunday.
