Superbike: Tom Sykes wins the Tissot-Superpole in Sepang
Great performance from Torres, Guintoli and Biaggi. Davies and Rea, however, were disappointing
The eleventh Tissot-Superpole of the season, the second in WorldSBK history at the Sepang International Circuit, saw Tom Sykes conquer the first starting position for the two races of the Pirelli Malaysian Round: this is the twenty-eighth start for the Kawasaki Racing Team rider at the post in his career, the fourth of the season.
What seemed like the Superpole of surprises, with Jordi Torres and Sylvain Guintoli appearing capable of accomplishing the feat right up until the end, instead saw Sykes make the difference in the last flying lap, closed with a time of 2'03.240, of 238 thousandths slower than the absolute track record (held by Guintoli himself).
The still World Superbike Champion, with Torres in second position, completes the front row after the good signs of the morning and, with a smile on his face after a more than difficult season, will precede Max Biaggi, Alex Lowes on the starting grid and Chaz Davies, the latter lagging behind after his excellent performance yesterday.
Only seventh place on the starting grid for championship leader Jonathan Rea who, a minute and a half from the end, was heading for a potential pole position lap, before a braking slip at turn 9, which led him to a slight long.
Completing the top ten are Leon Haslam, slightly delayed after a good start to the day, Niccolò Canepa and Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing). However, Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) did not take to the track, declared unfit after the concussion suffered in the fourth free practice session.
Next appointments: at 3 am with the warm up, at 45 am with the start of race 7 and at 30 am with race 1.
Below is the starting grid for the two races of the Pirelli Malaysian Round:
1. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 04.557s
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 2m 04.606s
3. Michael van der Mark NED PATA Honda CBR1000RR 2m 05.118s
4. Jordi Torres ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 2m 05.122s
5. Max Biaggi ITA Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 2m 05.549s
6. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 05.679s
7. Chaz Davies GBR Aruba.it Racing Ducati 1199R 2m 05.703s
8. Leon Haslam GBR Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 2m 06.031s
9. Niccolò Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 2m 06.324s
10. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 06.649s
11. Randy de Puniet FRA Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 2m 06.722s
12. Sylvain Guintoli FRA PATA Honda CBR1000RR 2m 06.779s
13. Leon Camier GBR MV Agusta F4 RR 2m 06.800s
14. Leandro Mercado ARG Barni Ducati 1199R 2m 07.205s
15. Roman Ramos ESP GO Eleven Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 07.427s
16. Matteo Baiocco ITA Althea Ducati 1199R 2m 07.509s
17. Christophe Ponsson FRA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 09.233s
18. Gianluca Vizziello ITA Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 09.735s
19. Gabor Rizmayer HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 10.422s
20. Alex Phillis AUS Grillini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 10.557s
21. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR 2m 10.787s
22. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR No Time
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Good bald guy...you could have stayed at home!