Friday struggles for 'uncomfortable' Jonathan Rea as World Superbike champion-elect Alvaro Bautista puts down marker

The Ulster rider was fourth on the time sheets, 0.969s behind Bautista on the Aruba.it Ducati.

Reigning champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha) was second quickest, 0.462s slower the championship pacesetter Bautista, whose team-mate Michael Ruben Rinaldi slotted into third position on Friday.

Rea said: “This morning the track was so dirty. And even in the afternoon I felt okay on the racing line, in most areas, but some areas are critical. Off the racing line was a nightmare.

“The set-up we arrived with, considering the grip level that we would face in FP1, was quite far from our base set-up, from a balance and position point of view.

“I just didn’t feel comfortable all day, even in the afternoon when the grip level came up,” added the 35-year-old.

“When you are not comfortable and nervous, when the racing line is so, so narrow, it is like walking a tightrope just looking at the rope.

“You need to be confident, looking forward. We can see quite clearly what I am lacking and we can see where to start on Saturday.”

Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha) and Xavi Fores (Barni Ducati) rounded out the top six, while Eugene Laverty was 16th on the Bonovo Action BMW.

Six-time champion Rea trails Bautista by 98 points with six races left and says it is “ridiculous” to entertain any thoughts of winning a seventh world crown this year.

He has won five times this season, with his last wins achieved at Estoril in Portugal in May – a drought of 21 races without a victory.

Rea’s longest spell without a win in World Superbikes lasted 33 races across the 2012-13 seasons when he rode for Ten Kate Honda.

He looked the most likely winner of the Superpole race at the previous round at San Juan in Argentina, but a mistake dropped Rea back to third behind Razgatlioglu and Bautista.

Last year, Rea – who has won a staggering 117 World Superbike races since his debut in 2008 – claimed a double as the Mandalika street circuit hosted a round of the championship for the first time.

He will hope to bring his winless streak to an end before the season concludes at Phillip Island in Australia (November 18-20) and halt the dominance of Bautista and Razgatlioglu, who have won all 21 races between them since Rea’s last triumph in Portugal.

“I’m empty-headed about any goal this weekend – thinking about the championship is a bit ridiculous now; Alvaro has done an incredible job,” said Rea, prior to free practice on Friday.

“I’ll focus on myself and I’m going out to do the best I can this weekend.”

Bautista has his first shot at winning the title in race one on Saturday (05:30 GMT), which will be the 900th World Superbike race since the championship was first run in 1988.

The Spanish rider, who is 82 points ahead of Razgatliolgu – with Rea 16 points further behind in third – can become champion if he outscores Razgatlioglu by 17 points. Rea will be mathematically out of the title race if he finishes behind Bautista.