Tom Sykes obliterated his own qualifying lap record as he scorched to pole in Jerez ahead of today’s first World Superbike race.
The Kawasaki Racing Team rider did the business with an incredible lap of 1’39.190s in the Spanish sunshine, beating his own record from last year by more than a second.
As the pack set their opening laps it was Sykes’ team-mate and championship leader Jonathan Rea who shot to the top of the timesheets, followed by an impressive lap by Althea BMW Racing’s Jordi Torres.
Torres, who along with Anthony West had made it through via Superpole One, was clearly reaping the benefits of those laps shortly before as he set the second quickest time. Chaz Davies, who had been quickest in the earlier free practice session, was lying third as everyone headed in for new tyres with seven minutes left on the clock.
Nothing changed for the next few minutes, but with around two minutes of the session left to go, riders began to put in their hot laps.
First to hit the front was Honda’s Michael van der Mark, but his spell in provisional pole lasted all of thirty seconds until his American team-mate Nicky Hayden went P1.
With everyone now on a fast lap, it looked like the top spot would change several times before the chequered flag, but Sykes was already on his charge.
Crossing the line with his record-breaking lap with some 53 seconds left to run, it was clear it would be a hard time for anyone to beat, and as expected, nobody did. The nearest man to him was team-mate Rea who had to settle for second, ahead of Aruba Ducati’s Davide Giugliano.
Alex Lowes had a decent session on his Pata Yamaha and will head the second row, with Hayden ending up fifth.
One rider who had tougher time was Chaz Davies. The Welshman had been quickest in final free practice this morning, but he just couldn’t find the pace with his Aruba Ducati in the session and will start from sixth with Torres seventh while Barni Racing’s Xavi Fores will start eighth.
Sylvain Guintoli on the second Pata Yamaha will line up ninth with Leon Camier 10th, having struggled to get the best out of his MV Agusta.
