From the World Superbike Championship
ASSEN, NETHERLANDS - After his superb FP1 performance Friday morning, Jakub Smrz (Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati) repeated the feat in first qualifying, with a time of 1 minute 36.058 seconds. This leading performance was already under the race lap record pace and only a little over one second from the track best of 1:34.944.
The Czech Republic charger held off a trio of fast and furious Italians, led by Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team), Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) and Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare), all four separated by just half a second.
An excellent fifth place was notched up by Kawasaki Racing Team man Tom Sykes, with early front-runners Troy Corser and Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in sixth and seventh, after being the leaders of the entire session for some time.
The two Irishmen, Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) and Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) were next up, while points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) was uncharacteristically down in 11th slot.
Noriyuki Haga (Pata Aprilia Racing) placed 10th on the dummy grid, with rookie rider Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) 12th, just behind his countryman Checa.
Leon Camier, Biaggi’s team-mate slipped down to 13th, with Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) in 14th place.
Stand-in rider Barry Veneman (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK) was 16th, one place behind team regular Ayrton Badovini.
Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing Team) went 19th in his latest comeback ride, finding a technical issue that prevented him from setting a faster time near the end of the session.
One more qualifying session remains on Saturday, then Superpole takes place for the top 16 in combined qualifying.
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Florian Marino made the most of his team's home circuit advantage as he powered to the quickest time in World Supersport first qualifying.
Behind the young Frenchman can be found points leader Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO), just a fraction away from the top slot. Third place went to Spain's David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) followed by Sam Lowes on the Parkalgar Honda machine, putting three different types of machinery on the provisional front row.
Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) was in top slot in the early stages but then could only finish fifth, while the rest of the provisional row 2 is made up of Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com), Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing) and Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).
Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) made a one second leap forward from his morning time to go to the top slot in Superstock 1000 qualifying. Four-tenths behind was BMW Motorrad Italia STK man Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia STK), ahead of two more Ducatis on the provisional front row, the Barni version of Danilo Petrucci and the second Althea machine of Lorenzo Baroni.
Romain Lanusse (MRS Yamaha Racing France) set the provisional pole in the Superstock 600 class, the young Frenchman also recording a new best lap along the way.
The first edition of the European Junior Cup, an initiative that sees the participation of youngsters from nine different nations, made its debut Friday at the Assen circuit. Tom Busch was quickest in the first free practice session, which gave the rookies a chance to get to know the track on their Kawasaki Ninja 250R machines.
Superbike Qualifying Times
1. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:36.058
2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:36.287
3. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:36.494
4. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1:36.550
5. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:36.747
6. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR 1:36.876
7. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 1:36.989
8. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:37.024
9. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1:37.063
10. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:37.106
11. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1:37.114
12. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:37.364
13. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:37.373
14. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1:37.424
15. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR 1:37.613
16. Veneman B. (NED) BMW S1000RR 1:37.716
etc.
