Qualifying three

Tommy Hill 1'28.869

John Hopkins 1'29.648

Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill bagged British Superbike pole position at Donington Park this afternoon, setting the fastest lap of the weekend so far and he is the only rider to break the 1'29s barrier on his way to the number one spot.

Hill was just ahead of his team-mate Michael Laverty with the Samsung Suzuki of John Hopkins in third. Tyco Honda's Peter Hickman is on the front row again for the second meeting in succession as his lap just edged out Shane Byrne.

The HM Plant Honda man rolled down pitlane with two minutes to go and then went out again with a new tyre but the chequered flag came out just before he could start another flyer. Jon Kirkham was sixth, Ryuichi Kiyonari seventh and Josh Brookes eighth.

Qualifying two

Michael Laverty 1'29.535

John Hopkins 1'29.813

Both the Swan Yamaha riders upped the pace in the second session to turn the tables on Hopkins so now three riders have gone through the 1'30s barrier but they are still some way off the 1'28.099s lap set by Carlos Checa here earlier in the year.

Rapid Ducati's Martin Jessopp only missed out on the final ten by 12 one-thousandths of a second with his last lap and Brookes went through by the skin of his teeth. Kiyonari found some pace in the middle of the session to go seventh fastest while Kirkham also upped his game to go through. Gowland was the only Evo rider to make into the final ten.

ELIMINATED

Martin Jessopp

Chris Walker

James Westmoreland

Barry Burrell

Scott Smart

Glen Richards

Steve Brogan

Ian Lowry

Alex Lowes

Gary Mason

Qualifying one

John Hopkins 1'29.805

Michael Laverty 1'30.309

Hopkins set the fastest lap of the session on his fifth circulation and was the only rider to break the 1'30s barrier. The American was nearly half a second quicker than Hill in second while Laverty set virtually the same time as his team-mate.

Lowes saved himself from relegation with two minutes left but his lap put the Motorpoint Yamaha of Tommy Bridewell into the relegation zone and he was the first big name to be eliminated. Mason was on the verge of going out but just survived in 19th and Kiyonari was also perilously close in 17th.

ELIMINATED

Tommy Bridewell

Hudson Kennaugh

Craig Fitzpatrick

Patric Muff

Karl Harris

Aaron Zanotti

Lee Jackson

James Hillier

Dan Kneen

Nick Medd