High track and air temperatures were the order of the day for the first ever World Superbike Tissot-Superpole at the Sepang International Circuit. Sylvain Guintoli secured his second Tissot-Superpole of the year, winning the grid deciding battle by a margin of 0.106s.
Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) were the first two classified riders in Superpole 1, progressing to the final shootout with the already seeded top ten from the combined free practice sessions. Ayrton Badovini (Team Bimota Alstare) had been on course for one of the coveted top two places before the Italian fell, thankfully without injury.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) complete the front row with Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia), Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) and an unlucky Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) will make up row two in both of tomorrow’s 16 lap encounters. A small mistake saw Baz drop the bike at the final corner hairpin, and was undoubtedly on course to become the first rider to break 2mins 03secs.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki racer Eugene Laverty secured seventh on the grid for tomorrow’s inaugural race narrowly missing out on a second-row position after setting a time of 2’04.263.
Chaz Davies (Ducati SBK), Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), and Jonathan Rea (PATA Honda) complete the top ten.
The trophies for today’s Tissot-Superpole were presented to the top three riders by five-time 500cc World Champion and motorcycle racing icon, Mick Doohan.
In the EVO category, the accolade of being the first classified competitor went to David Salom (pictured above) who qualified 12th overall on his Kawasaki.
Superpole Qualifying Results (2)
1. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 2m 03.002s
2. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 03.108s
3. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R 2m 03.137s
4. Toni Elias ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 2m 03.160s
5. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 2m 03.971s
6. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 04.027s
7. Eugene Laverty IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 04.263s
8. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R 2m 04.343s
9. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 04.433s
10. Jonathan Rea GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR 2m 04.514s
11. Leon Haslam GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR 2m 05.202s
12. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 06.388s (E)
Grid positions determined by SP1
13. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2m 05.771s (E)
14. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC F4RR 2m 05.859s
15. Christian Iddon GBR Bimota Alstare BB3 2m 06.012s (E)
15. Leon Camier GBR BMW Italia S1000RR 2m 06.184s (E)
16. Sheridan Morais RSA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 06.631s (E)
12. Ayrton Badovini ITA Bimota Alstare BB3 2m 06.808s (E)
23. Fabien Foret FRA MAHI Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.081s (E)
18. Jeremy Guarnoni FRA MRS Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.220s (E)
Grid positions determined by FP3
21. Alessandro Andreozzi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.544s (E)
22. Romain Lanusse FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.628s (E)
23. Bryan Staring AUS IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.926s (E)
24. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 08.211s
25. Peter Sebestyen HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 10.317s (E)
26. Geoff May USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 2m 10.807s
27. Aaron Yates USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 2m 11.191s
WORLD SUPERSPORT
Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC – Yakhnich Motorsport) has claimed Pole Position in the first ever World Supersport event at Sepang.
An exciting 45 minute qualifying session saw many riders taking their turn at the top of the timesheet but at the flag, it was the Frenchman who won on his MV Agusta debut in Australia who secured the top spot on the grid for tomorrow’s 14 lap race.
Joining him on the front row tomorrow will be Kev Coghlan (DMC-Panavto Yamaha) and championship leader Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team).
Row two will comprise former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Team India Kawasaki), Roberto Rolfo (Go Eleven Kawasaki) and a late charging Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team).
Wildcard rider Zaqhwan Zaidi (SIC Racing Team) sent the crowd into a frenzy with an incredible ride to seventh, just missing out on a second row start in the last seconds of the session.
WSS Qualifying Results
1. Jules Cluzel FRA MV Agusta Yakhnich F3 675 2m 08.331s
2. Kev Coghlan GBR DMC Panavto Yamaha YZF-R6 2m 08.424s
3. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR600RR 2m 08.961s
4. Kenan Sofuoglu TUR Mahi India Kawasaki ZX-6R 2m 08.977s
5. Roberto Rolfo ITA GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-6R 2m 09.134s
6. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA PATA Honda CBR600RR 2m 09.494s
7. Zaqhwan Zaidi IRL SIC Honda CBR600RR 2m 09.552s
8. PJ Jacobsen USA Kawasaki Intermoto ZX-6R 2m 09.580s
9. Jack Kennedy IRL CIA Insurance Honda CBR600RR 2m 09.613s
10. Ratthapark Wilairot THA Core PTR Honda CBR600RR 2m 09.707s
11. Florian Marino FRA Kawasaki Intermoto ZX-6R 2m 09.714s
12. Roberto Tamburini ITA San Carlo Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-6R 2m 09.736s
13. Raffaele de Rosa ITA Core PTR Honda CBR600RR 2m 09.865s
14. Marco Bussolotti ITA Lorini Honda CBR600RR 2m 10.001s
15. Alessandro Nocco ITA San Carlo Puccetti Kawasaki ZX-6R 2m 10.898s
16. Christian Gamarino ITA GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-6R 2m 10.906s
17. Riccardo Russo ITA Lorini Honda CBR600RR 2m 10.975s
18. Vladimir Leonov RUS MV Agusta Yakhnich F3 675 2m 11.150s
19. Fabio Menghi ITA VFT Yamaha YZF-R6 2m 11.226s
20. Fraser Rogers GBR Com Plus SMS Honda CBR600RR 2m 11.497s
21. Alexey Ivanov RUS DMC Panavto Yamaha YZF-R6 2m 12.316s
22. Nacho Calero ESP CIA Insurance Honda CBR600RR 2m 13.158s
23. Tony Covena NED Kawasaki Intermoto ZX-6R 2m 13.190s
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