Submitted by Jared Earle on
Superpole opened under clear English skies, but Alex Lowes wouldn't be competing as he was declared unfit due to the collarbone injury he sustained at Sepang. Sheridan Morais, standing in for Josh Hook, was also declared unfit after a crash yesterday.
In Superpole one, Nicky Hayden put in the first fast lap, a 1'28.685 with Xavi Fores getting within striking distance only to have Hayden knock another tenth off before pitting in for a mid-session stop. Luca Scassa didn't pit in with everyone else and instead knocked Michael van der Mark out of fifth place.
Scassa pitted in as everyone else poured out onto the track and Michael van der Mark set the third fastest lap only to have Alex De Angelis take his place from him. Roman Ramos and Xavi Fores were on pace to take the top spot from Hayden but they met Hayden on track and were unable to pass him quickly.
As the flag to end the first session came out, several riders were in contention for beating Hayden and Fores's time, but as their laps played out, nobody could match the top two.
Nicky Hayden and Xavi Fores were both promoted to Superpole two off the back of fast laps set early on. Michael van der Mark missed out on promotion by six hundredths of a second.
Eleven riders contested Superpole two, with Tom Sykes knocking Davide Giugliano off the top spot on his first flying lap with a 1'27.996. Jonathan Rea joined him just over a tenth behind with Lorenzo Savadori continuing his solid weekend's pace knocking Giugliano off the provisional front row.
Then, everyone parked up for sticky rubber. Jordi Torres was the first out, with just over five and a half minutes left and the qualifying tyre helped him to second quickest, but everyone was out and lots were setting faster sectors.
Jonathan Rea held the top spot for a moment until Lorenzo Savadori took it off him, but Tom Sykes was, as usual, getting the most from the "Q" tyre and took a second off his own time, over eight tenths from Savadori.
Chaz Davies snuck under Savadori's time by two hundredths of a second and pushed Jonathan Rea to the second row, but it was Tom Sykes who took his thirty-fifth pole position. Cameron Beaubier qualified in ninth place, starting on the third row for his first World Superbike race.
Results:
Superpole One:
Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | Speed |
1 | 69 | N. HAYDEN | Honda CBR1000RR SP | 1'28.589 | 267,3 | |
2 | 12 | X. FORÉS | Ducati Panigale R | 1'28.743 | 0.154 | 266,0 |
3 | 60 | M. VAN DER MARK | Honda CBR1000RR SP | 1'28.806 | 0.217 | 266,7 |
4 | 15 | A. DE ANGELIS | Aprilia RSV4 RF | 1'28.866 | 0.277 | 272,7 |
5 | 25 | J. BROOKES | BMW S1000 RR | 1'29.029 | 0.440 | 268,7 |
6 | 40 | R. RAMOS | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'29.289 | 0.700 | 266,7 |
7 | 99 | L. SCASSA | Ducati Panigale R | 1'29.377 | 0.788 | 263,4 |
8 | 13 | A. WEST | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'29.377 | 0.788 | 265,4 |
9 | 21 | M. REITERBERGER | BMW S1000 RR | 1'29.406 | 0.817 | 270,0 |
10 | 9 | D. SCHMITTER | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'30.275 | 1.686 | 263,4 |
11 | 94 | M. LUSSIANA | BMW S1000 RR | 1'30.635 | 2.046 | 259,0 |
12 | 11 | S. AL SULAITI | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'31.378 | 2.789 | 256,5 |
13 | 119 | P. SZKOPEK | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'31.742 | 3.153 | 257,8 |
14 | 10 | I. TÓTH | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'34.549 | 5.960 | 259,0 |
Superpole Two:
Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | Speed |
1 | 66 | T. SYKES | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'26.712 | 268,7 | |
2 | 7 | C. DAVIES | Ducati Panigale R | 1'27.572 | 0.860 | 268,0 |
3 | 32 | L. SAVADORI | Aprilia RSV4 RF | 1'27.591 | 0.879 | 270,0 |
4 | 1 | J. REA | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'27.601 | 0.889 | 270,0 |
5 | 34 | D. GIUGLIANO | Ducati Panigale R | 1'27.602 | 0.890 | 268,7 |
6 | 81 | J. TORRES | BMW S1000 RR | 1'28.046 | 1.334 | 272,0 |
7 | 69 | N. HAYDEN | Honda CBR1000RR SP | 1'28.127 | 1.415 | 268,0 |
8 | 2 | L. CAMIER | MV Agusta 1000 F4 | 1'28.409 | 1.697 | 266,0 |
9 | 6 | C. BEAUBIER | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'28.617 | 1.905 | 270,7 |
10 | 12 | X. FORÉS | Ducati Panigale R | 1'28.663 | 1.951 | 266,7 |
11 | 17 | K. ABRAHAM | BMW S1000 RR | 1'30.345 | 3.633 | 268,0 |
Qualifying:
Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | Speed |
1 | 66 | T. SYKES | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'26.712 | 268,7 | |
2 | 7 | C. DAVIES | Ducati Panigale R | 1'27.572 | 0.860 | 268,0 |
3 | 32 | L. SAVADORI | Aprilia RSV4 RF | 1'27.591 | 0.879 | 270,0 |
4 | 1 | J. REA | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'27.601 | 0.889 | 270,0 |
5 | 34 | D. GIUGLIANO | Ducati Panigale R | 1'27.602 | 0.890 | 268,7 |
6 | 81 | J. TORRES | BMW S1000 RR | 1'28.046 | 1.334 | 272,0 |
7 | 69 | N. HAYDEN | Honda CBR1000RR SP | 1'28.127 | 1.415 | 268,0 |
8 | 2 | L. CAMIER | MV Agusta 1000 F4 | 1'28.409 | 1.697 | 266,0 |
9 | 6 | C. BEAUBIER | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'28.617 | 1.905 | 270,7 |
10 | 12 | X. FORÉS | Ducati Panigale R | 1'28.663 | 1.951 | 266,7 |
11 | 17 | K. ABRAHAM | BMW S1000 RR | 1'30.345 | 3.633 | 268,0 |
12 | 60 | M. VAN DER MARK | Honda CBR1000RR SP | 1'28.806 | 0.217 | 266,7 |
13 | 15 | A. DE ANGELIS | Aprilia RSV4 RF | 1'28.866 | 0.277 | 272,7 |
14 | 25 | J. BROOKES | BMW S1000 RR | 1'29.029 | 0.440 | 268,7 |
15 | 40 | R. RAMOS | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'29.289 | 0.700 | 266,7 |
16 | 99 | L. SCASSA | Ducati Panigale R | 1'29.377 | 0.788 | 263,4 |
17 | 13 | A. WEST | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'29.377 | 0.788 | 265,4 |
18 | 21 | M. REITERBERGER | BMW S1000 RR | 1'29.406 | 0.817 | 270,0 |
19 | 9 | D. SCHMITTER | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'30.275 | 1.686 | 263,4 |
20 | 94 | M. LUSSIANA | BMW S1000 RR | 1'30.635 | 2.046 | 259,0 |
21 | 11 | S. AL SULAITI | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 1'31.378 | 2.789 | 256,5 |
22 | 119 | P. SZKOPEK | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'31.742 | 3.153 | 257,8 |
23 | 10 | I. TÓTH | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'34.549 | 5.960 | 259,0 |
Comments
The American flag is flying pretty good right now
If Americans are looked down upon in World Superbike, it won't be because Cameron and Nicky aren't trying. I'm amused to see that they both outplaced their teammates. Now, if they can keep that kind of performance up later today and tomorrow . . .