Welcome to the beta version of the new Women & Golf website. Our web monkeys are still hard at work and welcome your feedback.  

Advertisement

Donington WSBK: Sykes bags fourth pole of 2012

Superpole three

Tom Sykes 1'27.716

Leon Haslam 1'27.864

Advertisement

Marco Melandri 1'28.177

Kawasaki's Tom Sykes has recommenced his domination of World Superbike Superpole after being denied by Sylvain Guintoli at Monza, bagging top spot at Donington Park this afternoon to take his fourth Tissot watch out of five races.

The Huddersfield man was the first man to go underneath the 1'28s barrier but he was run close by BMW's Leon Haslam who came to within a tenth of a second of snatching pole from his compatriot. Team-mate Marco Melandri is third fastest while a late lap by Aprilia's Max Biaggi put him on the outside of the front row.

Liberty Ducati's Guintoli is in fifth with Brits Jonathan Rea and Leon Camier next to him. It is the former British Superbike Champion's best qualifying of the year so far on a track that doesn't require the top-end speed his Fixi Suzuki is seriously lacking. Jakub Smrz was eighth.

Superpole two

Leon Haslam 1'28.032

Jakub Smrz 1'28.037

Marco Melandri 1'28.161

Haslam set the Superbike best lap with his first, usurping Checa's record from 2011 but it was the Spaniard himself who provided the biggest shock by not making it through to the third stage after his best was beaten by both Biaggi and Camier right at the death.

Advertisement

Camier had been down in 12th but came back to seventh with his final lap. He was then pushed back into eighth as the factory Aprilia man found some pace to hop into fifth. Checa had one last stab at a good time but just couldn't find the tenth of a second needed to make the grade. Eugene Laverty didn't make it into the final session.

ELIMINATED

Carlos Checa

Ayrton Badovini

Advertisement

Michel Fabrizio

Eugene Laverty

Superpole one

Marco Melandri 1'28.323

Jakub Smrz 1'28.403

Tom Sykes 1'28.503

Melandri did just one flying lap to secure his place at the top of the pile while serial qualifier Smrz took six more, and in all likelihood a qualifying tyre, to bag second as he was half a second up on the Italian before losing it and bit more in the last sector before he crossed the line.

Haslam was languishing in the drop zone until he found enough pace to haul his S1000RR in to sixth place while Laverty also went out on a qualifier but was quick enough to bag 11th. It hasn't been an easy weekend for the young Irishman, who has struggled to find grip since Friday morning. Chaz Davies was the only British rider to drop out in a session of zero drama.

ELIMINATED

Davide Guigliano

Nico Canepa

Maxime Berger

Chaz Davies

Click here for times

Articles you may like

Advertisement

More WorldSBK

Advertisement
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram