Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) scored a long awaited Tissot-Superpole win today at the Nurburgring in Germany. The Tissot-Superpole was held under wet rules, with two sessions of 20 minutes each. Badovini appeared to be very comfortable under these conditions leading both Superpole 1 and 2
The battle for the front row positions for tomorrow’s two races was very close, and Badovini had to push hard to outperform fellow Italian Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet), who was second at the flag ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team). The Brit managed to get an encouraging result despite a crash he had, in the final minutes, at Turn 3.
Marco Melandri: “Today was a very good qualifying session, I’m really pleased. Until the end I tried to get the pole-position. A few minutes before the end I rode a bit slower to cool the tyres down and to try a new flying lap, but it didn’t work because there was not enough water on the track. So I decided not to risk anything as second place on the front row of the grid was an excellent starting point for tomorrow’s races.
It will be important to start well; I want to be within the front group from the beginning on. We have a good race pace in the dry and I’m very confident for the races.”
Sykes’ team mate Loris Baz was fourth ahead of the Pata Honda duo of Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam. Chaz Davies, who was leading in qualifying will start from seventh after he lost control of his bike during the second session.
Chaz Davies: “The second qualifying practice was good. I surprised myself a little bit with my lap time. I obviously knew it was fast but I did not expect a low 1:54 on race tyres and I think it was already the fourth lap on that tyre so I was quite happy with that. Then we tried a couple of things in the free practice which brought positives and negatives and we learnt a lot for tomorrow.
Then the Superpole was wet which was a bit frustrating and it was a shame that I crashed on the last lap although I am not really disappointed with seventh on the grid. I will be able to see the front guys so it is just a question of making a good start.”
Championship leader Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) will start from eighth place ahead of Jules Cluzel who high-sided at the first turn while accelerating to exit the corner.
A disappointing Superpole factory Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty, who will start tomorrow’s races from the fourth row of the grid, after finishing twelfth behind Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing Ducati) and Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki).
Wet Superpole
1. Ayrton Badovini ITA Alstare Ducati 1199 R 2m 09.513s
2. Marco Melandri ITA BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 2m 09.616s
3. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 10.136s
4. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 10.401s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 2m 11.204s
6. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 2m 12.006s
7. Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 2m 12.663s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 2m 13.117s
9. Jules Cluzel FRA Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 14.454s
10. Max Neukirchner GER MR Ducati 1199 R 2m 15.975s
11. Leon Camier GBR Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 16.393s
12. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV4 2m 16.409s
13. Michel Fabrizio ITA Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 2m 16.660s
14. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Aprilia RSV4 2m 18.775s
15. Matej Smrz CZE Yamaha Deutschland YZF-R1 2m 19.277s
Did not progress to Superpole
16. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 56.344s
17. Markus Reiterberger GER VANZON-REMEHA BMW S1000RR 1m 56.362s
18. Carlos Checa ESP Alstare Ducati 1199 R 1m 56.451s
19. Federico Sandi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 57.482s
20. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Grillini Dentalmatic BMW S1000RR 1m 58.409s
Nurburgring official WSBK lap records
Best lap: Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 1m 53.267s (2012)
Race lap record: Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 1m 55.267s (2012)
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