This afternoon’s qualifying practice 1 at Silverstone, saw Carlos Checa retake command of the timesheet and put everyone back in their place and show why he is still the current points leader.
The session was very tight especially in the last five minutes, with the lap chart starting to light up like a Christmas tree and everyone starting putting in fast laps with their softer tires, but the Spaniard ended on top and left rookie Maxime Berger (the rider who lost his rear wheel at Donington) on the Supersonic Ducati in second and 0.
393s adrift.
Tom Sykes bagged third, while Leon Camier continued to show good form was right on his tail and just 0.
042s from the Kawasaki rider.
John Hopkins on the Crescent Suzuki looks like he’s taken to the Silverstone circuit like a duck to water because he was fifth, and between the 2nd and 5th rider there was only a tenth of second difference.
Sixth went to Michel Fabrizio, followed by Jakub Smrz and Eugene Laverty and these three were separated by a bare 0.
021s.
Reigning World champion Max Biaggi finally got out of the back end of the charts to finish 9th and he was 0.
567s from his title rival Checa.
Closing out the top ten was Leon Haslam who had be running much higher during the session.
James Toseland dropped back to 12th, but within a second from the top and he still beat out his team mate Ayrton Badovini, who was probably struggling after his crash this morning.
Marco Melandri is also having problems because he was only 14th in this provisional pole.
WSBK Silverstone QP1 results:01- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 2’05.
47702- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
39303- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 0.
42204- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
46005- John Hopkins – Samsung Crescent Racing – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 0.
49706- Michel Fabrizio – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 0.
54607- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
55208- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 0.
56009- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 0.
56710- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
63911- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 0.
69912- James Toseland – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 0.
83913- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 1.
17014- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 1.
22015- Alex Lowes – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 1.
26316- Mark Aitchison – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
27517- Noriyuki Haga – Pata Racing Team Aprilia – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 1.
28518- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 1.
41319- Joan Lascorz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
47520- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1.
76821- Fabrizio Lai – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 2.
18422- Jon Kirkham – Samsung Crescent Racing – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 2.
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