World Superbike

Giugliano Grabs Pole For SBK Season Finale

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Davide Giugliano looks set to be the wildcard in the World Superbike Championship battle tomorrow after claiming pole position in Qatar. The Ducati rider edged out Kawasaki’s Loris Baz in Superpole with championship leader Tom Sykes rounding out the front row, two places ahead of his title rival Sylvain Guintoli.

The teammates are expected to play a key role in the outcome of tomorrow’s title decider, especially given the events of Magny Cours, but Marco Melandri didn’t enjoy the greatest of times on Friday, forcing him to take part in SP1 before having any chance of pole position. The Italian comfortably advanced to the second session with David Salom joining him in SP2 on his EVO Kawasaki.

Giugliano and Baz looked set to fight out a private battle for pole with both riders setting a blistering pace on their race tyres. Giugliano was marginally the faster after the first runs after setting a 1:57.868 but Baz responded superbly on his qualifying tyre, lapping within one thousandth of second of the Losail lap record to go fastest. Davide wasn’t finished yet though and the Ducati rider ensured Ben Spies’ 2009 record wouldn’t stand for too much longer, clocking a 1:57.033 to claim pole.

Sykes was setting some promising sector times further back but when Alex Lowes slid off just in front of him, the world champion lost sufficient time to leave him third, four tenths back. Crucially, the Briton will have Chaz Davies between him and his title rival on tomorrow’s grid with the second Ducati securing fourth, three tenths quicker than Sylvain Guintoli.

Leon Haslam will complete the second row after edging out Jonathan Rea, aided by a crash late in SP2 for the Ulsterman who had topped the final practice session prior to Superpole. Marco Melandri’s SP1 exploits only allowed him to climb as high as eighth but the Italian will have Eugene Laverty and Toni Elias behind him while Alex Lowes was left down in eleventh after his spill, only ahead of Salom’s EVO Kawasaki.

 

2014 eni SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 12 – LOSAIL
FREE PRACTICE & TISSOT SUPERPOLE RESULT
POS RIDER BIKE TEAM BEST TIME 
1 34  DAVIDE GIUGLIANO DUCATI DUCATI SUPERBIKE TEAM 1:57.033 SP2
2 76  LORIS BAZ KAWASAKI KAWASAKI RACING TEAM 1:57.281 SP2
3 1  TOM SYKES KAWASAKI KAWASAKI RACING TEAM 1:57.468 SP2
4 7  CHAZ DAVIES DUCATI DUCATI SUPERBIKE TEAM 1:57.562 SP2
5 50  SYLVAIN GUINTOLI APRILIA APRILIA RACING TEAM 1:57.833 SP2
6 91  LEON HASLAM HONDA PATA HONDA WORLD SUPERBIKE 1:58.005 SP2
7 65  JONATHAN REA HONDA PATA HONDA WORLD SUPERBIKE 1:58.190 SP2
8 33  MARCO MELANDRI APRILIA APRILIA RACING TEAM 1:58.355 SP2
9 58  EUGENE LAVERTY SUZUKI VOLTCOM CRESCENT SUZUKI 1:58.379 SP2
10 24  TONI ELIAS APRILIA RED DEVILS ROMA 1:58.583 SP2
11 22  ALEX LOWES SUZUKI VOLTCOM CRESCENT SUZUKI 1:58.919 SP2
12 44  DAVID SALOM KAWASAKI KAWASAKI RACING TEAM 1:59.015 SP2
13 52  SYLVAIN BARRIER BMW BMW MOTORRAD ITALIA SBK 1:58.918 SP1
14 59  NICCOLO CANEPA DUCATI ALTHEA RACING 1:59.492 SP1
15 21  ALESSANDRO ANDREOZZI KAWASAKI TEAM PEDERCINI 1:59.601 SP1
16 95  ALEX CUDLIN KAWASAKI TEAM PEDERCINI 2:00.439 SP1
17 67  BRYAN STARING KAWASAKI IRON BRAIN KAWASAKI SBK 2:00.638 SP1
18 11  JEREMY GUARNONI KAWASAKI MRS KAWASAKI 2:00.817 SP1
19 99  GEOFF MAY EBR TEAM HERO EBR 2:01.860 SP1
20 32  SHERIDAN MORAIS KAWASAKI IRON BRAIN KAWASAKI SBK NO TIME SP1
21 71  CLAUDIO CORTI MV AGUSTA MV AGUSTA REPARTO CORSE 2:02.097 FP2
22 20  AARON YATES EBR TEAM HERO EBR 2:02.289 FP3
23 74  GABOR RIZMAYER BMW BMW TEAM TOTH 2:03.168 FP3
24 10  IMRE TOTH BMW BMW TEAM TOTH 2:04.172 FP3

 

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