During an afternoon of intense heat and even more intense competition on the racetrack, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) boomed to the fastest lap of the first official qualifying session, taking a best of 1'34.903, already inside the previous race lap record despite the 53°C track temperature. Cutting through the 31°C air in his usual rapid fashion, Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) thought he had taken the fastest lap, but had to settle for second quickest, after Bayliss nipped in at the very end. The top 14 riders were all within a second of Bayliss' best time, the top 25 all within two seconds. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse riders Regis Laconi and Chris Walker howled their four-cylinder ZX-10Rs to third and fourth place respectively. With huge track temperature changes between the morning session and the afternoon, most riders worked hard on finding a set-up that would handle the hot conditions they will meet on Sunday's brace of SBK races, before attempting to set quick times on softer race tyres.
Martin Boosts Petronas Team With Fighting Fifth Steve Martin (Foggy Petronas FP-1) rode his 900cc triple to a sensational fifth place in qualifying, the experienced Aussie giving his all around the 4.060km Misano circuit. Another Aussie, Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) was the top Yamaha rider in the session, sixth fastest overall. Only Frenchman Laconi and Englishman Walker broke up the Aussie party in the top six.
The best of the home riders was Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda), making use of a recent test session to set seventh quickest time. He was also the top Honda runner, pushing 2004 World Champion James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) to eighth.
Kagayama And Nieto Round Out The Top Ten On Day One Corser's team-mate Yukio Kagayama scored ninth quickest lap in the final sectors of the hour-long session, and Fonsi Nieto ensured that all three PSG-1 Kawasaki machines would finish within the top ten, with a lap only 0.764 seconds from pole, despite suffering rear brake problems. Local rider and SBK rookie Roberto Rolfo (Ducati SC Caracchi) took his private vee-twin to 11th, holding off the threat of the ever-menacing Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) who rounded out the overnight third row.
Lanzi 13th On His Home Track, Barros Follows OnBayliss' fellow Ducati Xerox rider Lorenzo Lanzi dropped from fourth after the unofficial qualifying session in the morning to 13th in the afternoon, but still ended his day ahead of Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda), who was 14th, and the last rider within a second of provisional pole. Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) and Fabien Foret (Alstare Engineering Suzuki) were the last two riders in the current Superpole positions, but with one more session of official qualifying, and then Superpole to determine the final top 16 grid positions, there is still everything to play for.
Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati) was an unusually lowly 17th, running smaller diameter brake discs than he finds ideal at Misano, but 18th was a positive step for the Pedercini Ducati rider, Max Neukirchner.
World Supersport ChampionshipDespite a late halt in proceedings during the first official qualifying session in Supersport, after two riders crashed, the 45-minute session was completed in fine style by Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) who scored provisional pole. He was just ahead of local rider Gianluca Vizziello (Yamaha Team Italia), one of many riders who had taken part in the official SBK tests at Misano earlier this year. Yoann Tiberio took his Megabike Honda to third fastest out of 37 would-be qualifiers, just ahead of Vizziello's team-mate, Massimo Roccoli.
Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) lost out on the chance of a final fast lap after the late crash halted the session, but has nonetheless posted his name inside the top five, and with a second qualifying session still to be completed on Saturday 24th. Top Ducati rider was Christian Zaiser (LBR Ducati Racing), sixth.
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki Italia) continued his incredible run of form to record the provisional pole time at Misano, but only some 0.63 seconds ahead of the Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta of Ayrton Badovini, and 0.309 seconds up on Luca Scassa (EVR Ormeni Racing MV Agusta).
Superstock 600 European Championship Davide Guigliano (Lightspeed Kawasaki) took provisional pole in the 600cc class of Superstock, ahead of Xavier Simeon (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and the Ducati-powered, Xerox-sponsored, machine of Niccolo Canepa.
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