Smrz ends Spies' Superpole run

From the World Superbike Championship

Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati) brought Ben Spies’ seven-race World Superbike Superpole record to an end with a new circuit best lap in the decisive qualifying session at Misano on Saturday.

The 26-year-old from the Czech Republic was in terrific form, powering his private Guandalini Ducati 1098 around the 4.226km Misano World Circuit in a time of 1 minute 35.435 seconds.

“I am really pleased with my first-ever Superpole, it’s a great feeling to be there," Smrz said. "But not just my Superpole time was good, I also have a good race pace as well, and I hope to be able to fight against the other guys up at the front and get a podium in the races. Last year I went well at Misano, but I hope for a better result this time around.”

Second place in an exciting session, which was held under the constant threat of rain, went to Britain’s Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who has been fast all weekend.

“It’s been pretty good for us, we found a good time for the second place," Rea said. "A big thanks to my crew, they’ve been doing so much all week. We got through a fair amount of hardware at Magny-Cours testing and got a good base setting for this weekend. And finally in the last few sessions and qualifying we’ve been doing some good times, so hopefully it’ll all come good in the race tomorrow.”

Spies was also on the pace on his team Yamaha World Superbike machine, but the Texan this time had to settle for the third slot, just ahead of one of his championship rivals, Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) in fourth.

“A front row start is good anyway and congratulations to Jakub," Spies said. "We missed out today because we just didn’t have it when it counted. I’m happy with the bike and the race set-up is good, but to be honest we’re a little bit quicker than the guys we’re racing against for the championship and that’s a good thing. However I’m sure they’ll all be up there in the race tomorrow.”

The Misano Superpole was also the first time Pirelli did not use its one-lap qualifying tire, which has now been abandoned in favour of a new soft compound that can last up to five or more laps. The results were extraordinary because all four riders on the front row of the grid went quicker than last year’s mark set by Troy Corser in 1:35.993.

The second row of the grid sees Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati) holding down fifth place, with points leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) and the Ten Kate Honda duo of Carlos Checa and Ryuichi Kiyonari seventh and eighth.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) was heading for a front row slot but failed to make the final run due to a technical problem and the Italian had to settle for ninth, ahead of Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda) and Fonsi Nieto, the leading Suzuki Alstare runner.

The first BMW, that of Troy Corser, qualified on row four, while after their encouraging form shown on Friday, the two Kawasakis of Broc Parkes and Jamie Hacking slipped down to the fifth row.

Italian Michele Pirro upset the applecart in Supersport qualifying at Misano with a blistering lap in the last few minutes to take pole. For the Yamaha Lorenzini man it was the first time he starts from the top slot, and it comes in his first season in the category. The last time an Italian started from Supersport pole was Michel Fabrizio (Honda) at Magny-Cours in 2005.

The session was conditioned by a rain shower at the start, which kept the riders in their pit garages until 10 minutes from the end. The final stages were hectic as all the riders went out on the drying track to set their time, and Pirro was the best at interpreting the changing track conditions.

Leader Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha World Supersport) lines up alongside in an Italian sandwich, with 2006 Misano Supersport winner Massimo Roccoli (Intermoto Honda) third.

Katsuaki Fujiwara took the first Kawasaki Provec machine to fourth, while Gianluca Nannelli (Triumph ParkinGo) showed good progress to grab the fifth slot. One of the protagonists of the season Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) had some difficulty but lines up in eighth, one row ahead of three other possible candidates for the win, Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Provec) and Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).

Xavier Simeon (Ducati Xerox) powered to the pole position in the Superstock 1000 category with a new circuit best lap, knocking seven tenths off the previous mark. The Belgian rider made his attack two minutes from the end of the session, grabbing the lead from Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Honda).

Claudio Corti (Suzuki Alstare) only ended up with seventh quickest time, but the points leader was just a couple of tenths away from the front row.

Pole position for the European 600 Superstock race went to a wild-card rider from a family with a famous name, Ferruccio Lamborghini (Yamaha), who took advantage of the rain showers in the last few minutes of the session to hold off points leader Danilo Petrucci. Britain’s Gino Rea (Ten Kate Honda), level on points with Petrucci at the top of the table, could only manage 10th place.

Superbike Qualifying Times
1. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:35.435
2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:35.609
3. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:35.631
4. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:35.811
5. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1:36.224
6. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1:36.277
7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1:36.537
8. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1:36.884
9. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:36.439
10. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:36.510
11. Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 1:36.510
12. Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:36.682
13. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9 1:36.916
14. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:36.978
15. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1:36.994
16. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1:37.20