Makoto Tamada (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) will line up alongside his team-mate Régis Laconi on the third row of the Assen starting grid on Sunday.
Tamada put in a strong performance through qualifying on his Ninja ZX-10R, finally setting a Superpole time of 1’39.307. This placed him 10th overall, only 0.879 seconds from pole.
Laconi made great improvements at the 4.555km Assen circuit after a difficult first day, ending in a high-speed crash that seriously damaged his machine. An overnight rebuild led him try the latest specification of rear swingarm, as first tested at Jerez by Tamada, and Laconi also found an instant improvement in the feel and performance of his machine.
Laconi went on to take the 11th fastest Superpole time, with a 1’39.613, set on qualifying tyres.
Assen is a track which each PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse rider knows well, and given their improvements in qualifying, their pre-race confidence has received a well-timed boost.
Makoto Tamada:
“We almost didn’t touch the bike today as it already suits my riding style. I’m quite confident for tomorrow, as I’ve maintained a good race pace through the weekend so far. We will probably put a softer tyre on the front and a more durable one on the rear, and I think tomorrow I’ll be able to give my fans something to get excited about.”
Régis Laconi: “I am very happy to be 11th after Superpole. Yesterday was a bad day and I crashed, and then the mechanics had to rebuild the bike. Today we used the new swingarm that Makoto tried in the tests at Jerez and it was better; definitely going in the right direction. I had a little bit less chatter than before and that means I can go fast. It was also the first time this year that I felt I could use the qualifying tyre properly, and it only gave me chatter at one point on the track. I felt good on the bike today. To be tenth and 11th is good for the team but I know we can be better still. In the races I think we will be OK.”
