Yamaha Motor Italia WSB rider Noriyuki slithered to the quickest time in today’s first qualifying session at Vallelunga as a wet track and rain greeted the WSBK regulars on their second visit to the circuit. The Japanese rider stopped the clocks with a time of 1 minute 50.595 seconds despite two crashes. The only other rider to lap under the 1.51” mark was Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) in second place, while the provisional front row was completed by points leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) and the other Yamaha of Troy Corser.
Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) continued his positive run of form with fifth place despite a crash in the morning’s free practice. The Donington winner was followed by two more Hondas of Gregorio Lavilla (VentAxia VK) and Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate). Kawasaki were once again back in the top 10 thanks to Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Corse), who looked particularly at ease on the wet surface.
Local riders Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) both failed to shine at their home track, finishing in sixteenth and seventeenth place respectively, while Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) was also unable to get to grips with the slippery Vallelunga track. Guandalini Ducati’s Jakub Smrz, fifteenth, has been joined in Superbike by his younger brother Matej, who replaces the injured Luca Morelli in the DF Racing team. Today’s wet weather action was characterized by 11 crashes involving ten different riders.
Times:
1. Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'50.595
2. Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'50.879
3. Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'51.146
4. Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'51.228
5. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'51.419
6. Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.012
7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.143
8. Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.407
9. Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'52.463
10. Walker C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.466
11. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'52.507
12. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.640
13. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'52.649
14. Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'52.719
15. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'52.738
16. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'52.865.
FIM Supersport World Championship Honda dominated the first day of qualifying in the Supersport category, with four riders on CBR machines making up the provisional front row. In the pouring rain, Matthieu Lagrive (Intermoto Czech) made all the difference, the Frenchman the only man under the 1 minute 55 second mark today. Lagrive was way quicker than his rivals, leaving Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) second over 1” behind. The front row was completed by Italian Gianluca Nannelli (Hannspree Honda Althea) and Donington winner Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsport Honda). The poor weather conditions led several riders, in particular championship leader Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport), not to take any risks and the two Australians are down on row 4, while others like British rider Chris Martin (Kawasaki Gil Motorsport) in fifth and Italian wild-card Terence Toti (Celani Suzuki) in eleventh, went well. Another Czech rider has moved up a category this weekend, Patrick Vostarek (Intermoto Czech Honda), second in the European 600 Superstock championship, but he has so far has failed to qualify.
Times: 1. Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'54.362
2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'55.427
3. Nannelli G. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'55.858
4. Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'55.954
5. Martin C. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'55.957
6. Veneman B. (NED) Suzuki GSX-R600 1'55.996
7. Aitchison M. (AUS) Triumph 675 1'56.268
8. Lascorz J. (ESP) Honda CBR600RR 1'56.324.
On TV: Eurosport (pan-European)
– Saturday 20 September, 1900 Superpole (delayed);
Sunday 21 September, 1300 Supersport (live), 1400 Race 1 (delayed), 1945 Race 2 (delayed).
