Gregorio Lavilla will start on the front row of the grid for round 5 of the British Superbike Championship at Mondello Park. The Spaniard clocked a time of 1:38.482 to finish 3rd in qualifying, his Airwaves Ducati team mate, Leon Haslam, will start on the second row, in 6th, after qualifying with a time of 1:38.992.
Lavilla moved into first place early on in the qualifying session with a 1:40.058 lap, a faster time than his own lap record. Jonathan Rea set a new benchmark half an hour in when he rode a time of 1:38.862; he was quickly followed by five other riders, including Leon and Greg, who clocked sub 1 minute 39 lap times. The Airwaves Ducati riders were then setting themselves up to go out on their final qualifying tyres when a red flag halted the session. When qualifying resumed neither of the Airwaves Ducati team were able to improve on their times as Kiyonari rode a lap of 1:38.076 to take pole position and Shane Byrne clocked a late lap of 1:38.372 to take second place from Greg. Having had the red flag disrupt his qualifying lap Leon was unable to ride a faster time and finished in 6th.
After qualifying Leon Haslam said, “We get 4 tyres for qualifying and I had a problem straight away with my first so I was immediately down to 3, then I was planning on going out on my qualifying tyre but I had no chance to get a good time on it because of the red flag. It is frustrating because I think I could have knocked a second off of my time and maybe gone pole but I didn’t get the opportunity. But we are looking good on race tyres and I am not too bothered about being 6th as I am feeling good for the race and I think I will be up there fighting for podium places.”
With a front row start Gregorio Lavilla was satisfied with qualifying saying “Today worked well and I improved a lot this afternoon from this morning’s practice. I am angry that on my last lap of qualifying I got held up by another rider as I was going for a fast time and I felt I could have improved, perhaps not got pole position but maybe 2nd. Anyway this is one of my least favourite tracks so it was important for me that I was on the front row and I am pleased that I achieved that.”
Round 5 of the British Superbike Championship at Mondello Park commences tomorrow afternoon.
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