The first free practice session for this weekend’s title bout between Ben Spies and Noriyuki Haga at the final round of the WSBK Championship in Portimao, opened with a couple of surprises, with Jakub Smrz from Guandalini Racing taking the top spot.

The Czech rider beat out Haga who was second, with a best lap of 1.44.855 ahead of Haga by 0.079s. The second surprise was Yukio Kagayama who’ll be riding in BSB with Worx Crescent Suzuki next year, was third and in fourth Kawasaki’s Broc Parkes who lost his 2010 ride to Tom Sykes.

Fifth went Leon Haslam, who is Stiggy’s only rider at Portimao because the team’s continuing financial difficulties have stopped Supersport rider Anthony West from taking part in the final round of the 2009 season.

Sixth to Ten Kate’s Carlos Checa who’s heading to Althea Racing in 2010 aftering losing his ride to Leon Haslam.

Ben Spies was seventh at 1.45.118, only 0.263 from the top spot. Spies will have to score more than 10 points than Haga in both races to win the title.

Michel Fabrizio was eighth followed by Jonathan Rea and Fonsie Nieto closed the top ten.

Results after the jump.

WSBK Portimao – Free Practice Session Results

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1′44.855
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1′44.934
3 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′44.976
4 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′45.006
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1′45.078
6 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1′45.101
7 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1′45.118
8 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′45.165
9 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1′45.198
10 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1′45.400
11 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1′45.475
12 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1′45.660
13 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′45.769
14 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1′45.796
15 14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1′45.994
16 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1′46.171
17 22 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′46.183
18 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′46.351
19 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′46.492
20 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1′46.633
21 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′47.080
22 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′47.132
23 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′47.257
24 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1′47.697
25 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1′47.890
26 88 Resch R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′49.494

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