From the WSBK Pressoffice
Two Ducati bikes slotted in at the top of the World Superbike timesheets following Friday's first qualifying at the new-look Silverstone circuit. On a track that is more suitable on paper to four-cylinder power, points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) led the way with a time of 2 minutes 05.477 seconds, four-tenths quicker than the surprise of the day, young Frenchman Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team Ducati).
The pace on the first day was fast under overcast skies, with Checa's time on race tires close to lap record pace (set in race conditions), only 0.218 seconds from the Cal Crutchlow's official 2010 time of 2:05.259.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) was the first Brit on the provisional grid, taking third place ahead of Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team).
After going quickest in the morning free practice session, the provisional second row was headed by American wild-card rider John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki), followed by a similar Suzuki GSX-R1000 machine, the Alstare version piloted by Michel Fabrizio. Hopkins has some WSBK racing experience and his wildcard pace gave evidence that he should be a factor at this recently revamped circuit.
Fast privateer Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati) was a strong seventh, with the top Yamaha World Superbike rider proving to be Eugene Laverty, eighth fastest. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) is currently down in ninth, a normal position for the Italian after Friday seeing as he prefers to focus on set-up work.
The top 10 was rounded out by local hero Leon Haslam, the fastest BMW rider on show so far.
James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK) went 12th in his comeback ride, one place ahead of his team-mate Ayrton Badovini, while Troy Corser, Haslam's team-mate, was 18th in his comeback ride.
Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda) followed up his Brno race win with quickest time and provisional pole in the first qualifying session for World Supersport. Rea set a time of 2:09.362 to finish a couple of tenths ahead of Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda). Italian Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) was back up at the front in this first day of action, another couple of tenths behind.
There were two more Honda machines in the next two places, the Hannspree Ten Kate version of Frenchman Fabien Foret ahead of the Harms Benjan CBR600RR of Denmark's Robbin Harms. Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha) and another Brit, James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) took sixth and seventh.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) continued his impressive form in Superstock 1000 qualifying, setting the quickest time of 2:8.730. The Italian, who has been on pole in the last three races, was ahead of two of his compatriots, points leader Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) and Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia STK Team).
Joshua Elliott (WMT Yamaha) set the provisional pole in Friday's first Superstock 600 qualifying session with a time of 2:13.688. The British rider was a full half-a-second quicker than the rapidly emerging Riccardo Russo (Trasimeno Yamaha), who confirmed his positive early morning form. Russo was ahead of the American Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki), Assen winner Michael VD Mark (Ten Kate Junior Team) from the Netherlands and Spain's Nacho Calero Perez (Orelac Yamaha).
World Superbike Times
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 2:05.477
2. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:05.870
3. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:05.899
4. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:05.937
5. Hopkins J. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:05.974
6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:06.023
7. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 2:06.029
8. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 2:06.037
9. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:06.044
10. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 2:06.116
11. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:06.176
12. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 2:06.316
13. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR 2:06.647
14. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 2:06.697
15. Lowes A. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2:06.740
16. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:06.752
etc.
