Silverstone - Bayliss claims provisional pole

Silverstone - Troy Bayliss mastered the inclement British weather to claim provisional pole position for the 13th and 14th rounds of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone.

The 38-year-old Australian started out cautiously before gradually getting quicker as the wet track surface dried out during the session, eventually setting the best time in 1:25.295.

His Ducati team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi followed in formation to claim second place on the provisional grid 0.675 seconds behind.

Championship leader James Toseland found his Ten Kate Honda hard to handle in the wet conditions at the start of the session but sped up as time wore on to end up third quickest for what will be his second home race of the year.

Ruben Xaus made it three Ducatis in the top four on his Sterilgada version while Motor Italia Yamaha duo Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga followed them.

Michel Fabrizio showed his wet-weather prowess with seventh quickest on the first of the DFX Hondas while Regis Laconi - who spent much of the wet part of the session at the top of the timesheets - eighth for PSG-1 Kawasaki.

Karl Muggeridge and Max Neukirchner completed the top ten for Alto Evolution Honda and Suzuki Germany, with the latter impressively ahead of both Alstare Suzuki bikes.

Britain's Dean Ellison was one of two riders who failed to qualify. The Pedercini Ducati rider was 21st and slowest, 7.2 seconds off the pace, but will have another chance to get on the grid on Saturday morning.

EuroSport