2020 Aragon World Superbike Superpole Result: First Of Two

World Superbike has, for the first time ever, one track used for two consecutive weekends, and this is the first weekend qualifying at Motorland Aragon, ahead of the six races in a row due here.

Jonathan Rea was the last rider out on track, heading out three minutes after everyone else. Eugene Laverty, there first rider out, set a 1'50.933 but Scott Redding set a 1'50.149 immediately after, with Alvaro Bautista second quickest. Bautista's Honda was the fastest bike through the speed trap, three kph faster down the long back straight than Redding's Ducati. 

When Jonathan Rea eventually set his first lap, he watched Chaz Davies in front of him set the quickest lap and then beat it with a 1'49.913. Michael Ruben Rinaldi snuck between the old rivals, knocking Davies down to third. Rea then moved the goalposts with a 1'49.851 as riders started filing into the pits. Rea posted a 1'49.790 as half the grid was in the pits before heading in for a tyre change.

Tom Sykes, sixth quickest, headed back out with a normal tyre but it was Chaz Davies and Michael Ruben Rinaldi who pipped Jonathan Rea, with Davies setting a 1'49.729. Scott Redding was fourth quickest, the third Ducati in the top four, as the clock ticked to Q tyre o'clock. The SC0s and red-badged SCX tyres were replaced with the yellow-labelled qualifying tyres as riders headed out with six minutes remaining on the clock.

Leon Haslam was the first rider to set a qualifying tyre lap, setting a 1'49.430 to briefly put him on top until Alex Lowes set a 1'49.225. Jonathan Rea and Loris Baz were the only two riders on a fast enough lap to take pole, and it was Rea's 1'48.860 that set the pace and a new qualifying lap record. Tom Sykes was the only rider still circulating at a pole position pace, but he crashed his BMW at turn eight, sheepishly limping away in fourteenth place.

Jonathan Rea took pole position, ahead of Loris Baz and Scott Redding. Alex Lowes headed the second row with Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Leon Haslam alongside him while Alvaro Bautista led Michael van der Mark and Chaz Davies on the third row.

Jonathan Rea mentioned dragging Loris Baz behind him, but said it was fine as he took a tow from Baz at Portimao. Baz, with his first front row start bin a while, agreed that it was only fair. 

Results: