Leon Haslam: “I am pretty happy with that as I had a big crash early in the session and had to use the spare bike. To put my second Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade on the front-row on race tyres is pretty good. The boys on my side of the garage did a superb job. We’ve had some wet time this morning and then it was dry at the end of the qualifying session so I’m confident for tomorrow whatever happens. I think there’s no reason why we can’t go out and win both races. The crash was just one of those things. It was wet at Druids Corner, I touched the throttle and I guess I was on a wet patch and it high-sided me off, I’m a bit sore but that’s all.”
Shane Byrne: “I am reasonably happy with that! Before the session conditions looked mixed and it was difficult for us to commit to wet or dry settings. It was our plan to be on the front row and we have done that, I thought I might take pole at one stage but I just lost out in the last few minutes. It is good as we now have race settings sorted for both wet and dry conditions; the Airwaves Ducati team have been great this weekend, now it’s down to me to finish the job!”
Cal Crutchlow: "To get pole position is fantastic! The bike worked well in all the sessions: we were fastest in the wet and then the dry; we now just have to continue that and convert it into wins tomorrow. During the qualifying session it was wet but drying so conditions were tricky. On my fast lap there were still wet patches in places – like Hizzy’s Chicane – but we managed to put a good lap together, which put me clear of the pack. This is my second pole position, but my first for HM Plant Honda. I’m ready for a fight tomorrow as I doubt there will be a breakaway leader as the racing will be quite tight and tyre management over the full 18 laps will be critical.”
Karl Harris: "I’m a bit frustrated because we had a few minor problems in qualifying that lost us some time. I’ve been feeling better as the weekend has gone on and it’s changed the way I’m now riding, which has effected the handling of my bike. It’s nothing that we can’t change for tomorrow, I’ll be dependent on a good start but I’m feeling really confident for the race."
James Ellison: "We’ve still got some issues but we’ll get there. The first two races at Thruxton were like a test for us and we haven’t been out since then and this is such a different track that it’s like starting from scratch again with our settings. The conditions were not ideal today and also because of the new tyre rule meaning you have to use the tyres that you have stickered up, we ended up not using the ones we wanted. I’d have been happier if I’d been on the second row but we’ll just have to see how it goes tomorrow and hope I get a good start."
Leon Camier: “I am not best pleased with that as I feel I could have gone faster and probably got my Airwaves Ducati on the front row. It was my mistake, I was continually running off the dry line on the first corner and that was slowing me down a lot. I was starting to get it together towards the end of qualifying but I did not get as many clear laps as I wanted, so could not improve my time further. I am aiming for a podium tomorrow and I think if I get a good start and stay consistent then I can achieve that.”
Tom Sykes: "I started the session on intermediate tyres but when I got on track I realised it was pretty dry. I came in changed to slicks and got back out there. I stayed on the same race tyre and posted my fastest lap on lap 20, so to pull off third place on the front row of the grid is not too shabby. I’m happy with my front row start, I just want to get away well and see what happens. I’m not bothered either way if it is wet or dry, I was second fastest this morning in the wet and third in qualifying in the dry. My Rizla Suzuki technicians have worked really hard to give me ideal setting on my Rizla Suzuki so a big thinks to them."
Guy Martin: "I want sacking after I slid off, but I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong on the bike, it was just one of those things. The boys want me to use the new forks so coming here is just like another test really but if we keep plugging away it will come, and hope we have a good couple of races tomorrow. A lot worse happens at sea!
Atsushi Watanabe: "The conditions were difficult today as the track was drying out. It is still new track for me so I am learning every lap. I’m not happy with 17th but I like track and will do better in the race."
