WSBK Assen QP1 – Smrz leads the Way

This afternoon’s qualifying practice on the slightly modified Assen circuit, more or less confirmed what happened during the earlier free practice, except that Czech rider Jakub Smrz on his privateer Pata B&G Ducati snatched the top spot from Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea who had dominated FP.

Smrz’s best lap was posted in 1′36.
041, a little less than three tenths of second faster than Rea.
Third place went to Troy Corser who continues to bring his improving BMW S1000RR up to pace while Leon Haslam, points leader was fourth.

Sterilgarda’s Cal Crutchlow took fifth despite a crash in the session.
Carlos Checa was sixth and the last rider within a second from Smrz’s best time.
Aprilia’s Leon Camier was seventh while his team mate Max Biaggi could manage only a 16th placeand is using a slightly modifified gas tank to find a better balance on his Aprilia RSV4F and new swing arm.
Eighth spot went to Shane Byrne on the other Althea Ducati who finished ahead of Michel Fabrizio on the factory Xerox Ducati and Noriyuki Haga stopped the clock in 14th.

Closing out the top ten was James Toseland.
Chris Vermeulen ended up 20th in his first day back on the bike after his injury in the first round at Phillip Island and the other Aussie rider Broc Parkes, also returning from injury and debuting on the Echo CRS Honda was 22nd.
Assen Qualifying Practice 1 Results:1 96 Smrz J.
(CZE) Ducati 1098R 1′36.
0412 65 Rea J.
(GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1′36.
3393 11 Corser T.
(AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1′36.
4894 91 Haslam L.
(GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′36.
6185 35 Crutchlow C.
(GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1′36.
7526 7 Checa C.
(ESP) Ducati 1098R 1′36.
8057 2 Camier L.
(GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F.
1′37.
0648 67 Byrne S.
(GBR) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
0819 84 Fabrizio M.
(ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
16510 52 Toseland J.
(GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1′37.
16611 57 Lanzi L.
(ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
34412 66 Sykes T.
(GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′37.
43413 76 Neukirchner M.
(GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1′37.
45314 41 Haga N.
(JPN) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
46215 99 Scassa L.
(ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
50616 3 Biaggi M.
(ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F.
1′37.
58017 50 Guintoli S.
(FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′37.
68418 111 Xaus R.
(ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1′37.
68519 15 Baiocco M.
(ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′38.
79520 77 Vermeulen C.
(AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′39.
07921 95 Hayden R.
(USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1′39.
18622 23 Parkes B.
(AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1′40.
485