Doninton Park: Superpole - Final Qualifying

BAYLISS THE RECORD BREAKER AGAIN WITH SUPERPOLE WIN 14

TROY WINS AS THE OTHER TROY CRASHES Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) made dramatic inroads into the best practice laps in the Superbike category at Donington and topped it off with the very best for last in what was a dramatic Superpole. His Superpole winning lap was a remarkable 1’30.370, beating even the previous best lap he set in final practice, shortly before Superpole.

His only real rival to take the pre-race honours was Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) but Corser fell from his machine on turn one, blaming a gust of wind, and thus he now starts from the back of row two, in eighth place.


FRONT ROW FOUR FEATURES FOUR DIFFERENT MACHINES With Corser eventually out of the running for top honours, his team-mate Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) salvaged a superb second place in Superpole, with a 1’31.084. After some difficult rounds so far Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) scored a magnificent third place on the big ZX-10R in Superpole, having been eighth in regular qualifying. The local crowd at Donington can expect great things from James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) on raceday, as he qualified on the front row, despite consistently losing time in the last sector of each lap.

Track temperatures for Superpole dropped just before the start of the session and thus three riders in total either crashed or ran into trouble.

LANZI INTO THE TOP FIVE WITH XAUS JUST BEHIND Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) clearly liked riding a Superbike around Donington and went fifth on the grid, one up on consistently fast private entry, Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati). A relatively sedate weekend so far for Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) placed him seventh in Superpole (6th after regulation) keeping him on row two. Corser, as mentioned before, completes row two.

MUGGERIDGE LEADS THE THIRD ROW CHOIR Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda) found a good set-up from his machine for the first time this season and finally ended up qualifying ninth after Superpole, and thus the best of the true privateers. Behind him Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki) was a disgruntled tenth, and slow in the slow sections of the track, while yet another private rider on a mission, Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) slotted into 11th place in the final pre-race reckoning. ‘Guest Qualifier’ Giovanni Bussei (Sterilgarda Ducati) went 12th. The last row featured only two qualifiers who actually completed Superpole, Michel Fabrizio and Steve Martin (both DFX Corse Honda), in 13th and 14th respectively. Neither Josh Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda) nor Roby Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) completed their laps, with Brookes falling at high speed and Rolfo running wide at the Melbourne loop, and therefore proving unable to continue.

WORLD SUPERSPORT - RIBA QUICKEST ON DRY SECOND DAY On a dry but cold track surface Pere Riba (Gil Kawasaki Motorsport) secured pole position with a new track best of 1’34.066, despite a fast crash in the morning session. Simone Sanna (Racing Team Park Algar Honda) was second best rider on show, in the only dry 45-minute qualifying session, while championship leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) went third quickest. Last rider on the front row proved to be Pioneer Hoegee Suzuki pilot Barry Veneman, making for a very cosmopolitan top rank.

2006 WSS Monza race winner Yoann Tiberio (Stiggy Motorsports Honda) was fifth fastest, one place up on a rider on a 2006 machine, Lorenzo Alfonsi (Althea Honda) and two ahead of late crasher Fabien Foret (Gil Motorsport Kawasaki).

SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP - PIRRO AGAIN THE FASTEST Michele Pirro (Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) scored a fabulous rookie pole position in the big Superstock class, thanks to a best time of 1’34.690. He outpaced the Ducati Xerox 1098 of Niccolo Canepa to score his early psychological victory, with former champion Didier Van Keymeulen (TTSL MGM Racing Yamaha) finally third. Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta) was again the best MV rider in the pack, fourth fastest.

SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP - MAGNONI MAGNIFICENT Michele Magnoni (Bevilaqua Yamaha) headed up a close qualifying session at Donington, taking his Yamaha to a 1’37.263. He was only 0.059 seconds ahead of Sylvain Barrier (Coutelle Junior Team Yamaha) and 0.092 up on Maxime Berger (Team Trasimeno Yamaha). Local fans were behind the fourth place push of Briton Greg Black (Politas Racing Team Yamaha), fourth. Andrea Antonelli (Team Italia Megabike Honda) was fifth, still only 0.380 seconds down.

Video interviews with Rolfo, Lanzi, Casoli, Corser, Biaggi and Phillis are now available free on www.WorldSBK.tv

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