From the World Superbike Championship
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) posted a brilliant 1 minute 35.001 seconds to take the new track best lap and BMW’s first ever World Superbike Superpole win at Misano on Saturday.
In doing so he extended his own record of pole wins in WSBK racing to 43 and he did it in some style, finishing half a second clear of his nearest rival.
“I’m very happy with what we did today," Corser said. "It’s been a long time since I was on pole but the team has put in a lot of work since Miller and this is a really good result. I am happy with the set-up of the bike, it’s easier to ride and it has a more balanced position.
"It was very hot this afternoon and the surface was a bit more slippery but it is the same for everybody. If we get a good start tomorrow I will go from the front and see what happens.”
Second on the grid for Sunday’s races will be championship leader Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), who was surprised and delighted to be so far forward at a circuit like Misano.
“I'm very satisfied with this result which, to be quite honest, I didn't even really expect," Biaggi admitted. "This is a track where it is very difficult to overtake, so starting up front was important. I'm quite pleased.
"In the last lap I gave it my all and was very quick, but what counts now is being strong for the entire race. There are a lot of riders here, not only Troy, who are capable of making very fast laps and they showed that today as well, so we'll have to try to stick close to the leaders."
Third went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and fourth to the charging Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda). BMW, Aprilia, Ducati and Yamaha machines share the front row places, after the usual close competition for grid places in a class with seven competing manufacturers.
“It is very important to start on the front row of the grid here in Misano, where I have never really gone very well," Fabrizio said. "I made a little mistake on the final lap when I saw the chequered flag a little bit too late to put in anything extra.
"In tomorrow’s races the early laps are going to be difficult. I don’t want to be controversial because once again we’re missing a bit in engine power with respect to the fours, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) was not able to get into contention with Corser and Biaggi in the final Superpole contest and went fifth, but Sylvain Guintoli overcame the result of an earlier qualifying collision with Corser to put his Alstare Suzuki sixth on the grid.
Leon Haslam, second in the championship, took his Alstare Suzuki machine to seventh place in a tough Superpole for man and machine.
Luca Scassa (Supersonic Racing Ducati) put in another great performance for a privateer rider as he posted a top eight time; he now starts Sunday’s races as last man on row two.
Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) battled hard to go ninth, just missing the final Superpole knockout session. Pata B&G Ducati privateer Jakub Smrz was 10th.
James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) struggled in qualifying and Superpole and thus went 13th fastest, joined by fellow British riders Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia), Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).
Once again Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was top Kawasaki rider, 18th, while his team-mate Chris Vermeulen was 21st fastest.
Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) set a new track best at the very end of the final qualifying session to take the World Supersport pole position at Misano, his 1:38.444 proving to be not just unbeatable but also very well timed.
Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) had to settle for second on the grid, with local wildcard rider Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service Yamaha) an impressive third.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) earned a top four place, with Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) a positive fifth, one place up on series points leader, Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).
Welshman Chaz Davies (ParkinGo Triumph BE-1) made it onto the second row behind Sofuoglu.
A new track best of 1:39.190 put Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) firmly into pole position in Superstock 1000 making this his fourth pole start of the current campaign.
In the Superstock 600 race, Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) set a new lap record on lap 8 as he chased down long-time leader Florian Marino (Ten Kate Honda Junior) then improved the lap record again on lap 9, eventually taking the lead in the final few corners and winning by 0.577 seconds.
World Superbike Qualifying Times
1. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR 1:35.001 (160.141 km/h)
2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:35.502
3. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:35.680
4. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:35.683
5.Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1:35.851
6. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:36.096
7. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:36.302
8. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:36.607
9. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1:36.093
10. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:36.170
11. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:36.200
12. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000RR 1:36.204
13. Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:36.216
14. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:36.245
15. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1:36.376
16. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:36.561
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