Superbike: Tom Sykes signs the Tissot-Superpole in Qatar

The last Tissot-Superpole of the season proved to be perhaps the most spectacular of the year, with Tom Sykes able to stop the clock on 1'56.821, which meant pole and a new track record.

For the Kawasaki rider, this is the thirtieth career victory, the sixth of the season, achieved at the end of a fantastic succession of position changes between the top-8 riders: an excellent premise for tomorrow's night races.

Tom once again demonstrated his superiority in the flying lap and his ability to make better use of the Pirelli qualifying tires than the others: it's a shame that he lacked consistency in the race over the course of the season, otherwise the race for the world title would have given some more emotion.

Behind him, after a quiet start to the heat, we find the world champion and teammate Jonathan Rea, ahead of an extraordinary Xavi Fores, capable of conquering an unexpected front row for Ducati.

Fourth place for Chaz Davies, who will start tomorrow alongside Aprilia riders Leon Hasam and Jordi Torres, while the third row sees Alex Lowes, Randy de Puniet and Michael van der Mark.
To underline the balance in these qualifying sessions there are the 260 thousandths that separate the drivers between third and eighth position.

Fall at the end for Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati), during his last flying lap: the rider from Osimo will start tenth, between Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati) and David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki).

Let's summarize tomorrow's appointments, Sunday 18 October:
16pm – 15pm Warm up
18pm Race 00
21pm Race 00

Below is the starting order in the race:

1. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 56.821s
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 56.997s
3. Xavi Fores ESP Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 57.384s
4. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 1m 57.406s
5. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 57.449s
6. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 1m 57.601s
7. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 57.638s
8. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 57.644s
9. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 58.034s
10. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R 1m 58.565s
11. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 58.741s
12. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 59.289s

SP1 determines grid positions 13-20

13. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR 1m 58.768s
14. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 1m 58.941s
15. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 1m 59.229s
16. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR 1m 59.256s
17. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 59.339s
18. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R1m 59.928s
19. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 01.565s
20. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 02.827s

Will not progress to Superpole

21. Alex Phillis AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 03.535s
22. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 03.851s