Lap times were so tight in this afternoon’s World Superbike Superpole session at Magny Cours that many riders had to use their qualifying tires in the SP1 and to get the axe at the end of the session were Jakub Smrz, Michel Fabrizio, Mark Aitchison and Ayrton Badovini.
The situation in SP2 was even more tense.
Marco Melandri and Carlos Checa almost did not making the cut and both were forced to use up their last available qualifying tire to make it through to the final session and they both lucky that none of the riders behind them on the timesheets were able to improve their lap times.
Out after SP2 were Nori Haga, Joan Lascorz, Maxime Berger and Troy Corser.
Of the eight riders who made it into the SP3, only two still had a qualifying tire and that was Eugene Laverty and Jonathan Rea.
Laverty broke the circuit record with his 1′37.
600, but less than a minute later Rea blasted out a 1.
37.
940 that pushed the Yamaha rider into second.
Carlos Checa will take off in third and everything is ready in Althea Racing and Ducati to celebrate the 2011 championship tomorrow as the Spaniard needs just three points to win the title.
Next to Checa and closing the front row will be Aprilia’s Leon Camier, who always has some difficulties using the q tires.
The second row starts with Effenbert Ducati’s Sylvain Guintoli and Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes who posted the exact same lap times.
The seventh spot on the grid went to Leon Haslam, while Marco Melandri could only qualify eighth.
Closing out the top ten will be Noriyuki Haga and Joan Lascorz.
WSBK Magny Cours Superpole results:1.
Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 1′37.
4902.
Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′37.
6003.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′37.
9324.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′38.
0065.
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′38.
0946.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′38.
0947.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′38.
3828.
Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′38.
5629.
Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′38.
13710.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′38.
20411.
Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1′38.
34712.
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′38.
51613.
Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′38.
52414.
Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′38.
56515.
Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′38.
62316.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′38.
68717.
Javier Fores (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′39.
23018.
Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′39.
982
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