Qualifying three

Jakub Smrz 1'15.281

Dan Linfoot 1'15.623

Millsport Ducati’s Jakub Smrz will start from pole for the first time in the series after he lapped a 1’15.281 during the MCE British Superbike qualifying session at Thruxton. It was also a day to celebrate for his team, as it is the first time that the Panigale has made it on to the number one spot on the starting grid in the championship. 

The former World Superbike contender successfully held off challenges from both Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes and Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Dan Linfoot. The Australian rider was a tenth off the pace of the Czech Republic racer, who himself was four tenths off the lap record.

Linfoot put in a stellar performance to bag his first front row start of the year, with a 1’15.623. Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne failed to make it on to the front row for the first time this season, and heads up row two. The triple champ missed out on third on the starting grid by one-three thousandths of a second.

Byrne will be joined on row two with veteran racer, Michael Rutter and Milwaukee Yamaha’s Tommy Bridewell. Initially it was Smrz who set the quickest time of the weekend so far – a 1’15.281, ahead of Brookes and Linfoot on the three minute mark, and in the end no other rider was able to lap any faster.

Further down the starting grid Tyco Suzuki’s John Hopkins will start from seventh, followed by RAF Reserves Honda’s Peter Hickman and GBmoto Kawasaki’s Chris Walker. Halsall Racing’s John Kirkham starts the fourth row.

Qualifying two

John Hopkins 1’15.507

Hopkins from out of no where soared to the top of the timesheets with less than five minutes remaining to the second qualifying outing, and toppled Linfoot and Rutter off a provisional pole spot after a 1’15.507.

But the session was red flagged with seven minutes remaining after a separate crash involving Anvil Hire Tag Racing’s Richard Cooper and Bathams BMW’s Patric Muff at Campbell’s. The diminutive figure of Cooper was then taken to the medical centre with a suspected arm injury to be assessed and the outing came to a halt.

Before the stoppage it was Linfoot who was leading the charge, from Rutter and Walker. But with four minutes remaining Hopkins was firmly at the bottom of the timing-screens until he put down a 1’15.507 to top the sheets.

Meanwhile Buildbase BMW’s Lee Jackson was riding high inside the top ten until he low-sided at Goodwood, ending his chance of challenging for pole. His team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari needed to find some extra pace, as he was stuck in 11th, and was close to dropping out of Q2. The triple tried a last lap dash – but to no avail and stayed put, meaning he misses out on possibly front row start.

The Buildbase BMW duo were not the only riders to fail to make it through to Q3. PR Racing’s Keith Farmer, Bathams BMW’s Patric Muff, Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Waters and Rapid Solicitors Stuart Easton also didn’t have the pace to battle for a top ten grid position.

Eliminated

Kiyonari

Cooper

Jackson

Farmer

Muff

Waters

Burrell

Jessopp

Easton

Hutchinson

Qualifying one

Jakub Smrz 1’15.917

Brookes was on a roll and proved the man to beat, after a 1’15.702, and had a tenth over Walker and Smrz. The Australian set the fastest time in the opening qualifying outing after ten minutes, and no other rider was able to challenge him.

Easton was dangerously close to not making it out of Q1, as he tried in vain to get out of the drop zone, but in the end he did enough to push him eighteenth on the sheets, but was only a tenth away from bringing his qualifying session to an abrupt end.

The Scot was not the only rider who made it into Q2 by the skin of his teeth, Hutchinson was languishing in 20th for most of the outing, but did a lap that pushed Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Howie Mainwaring into the elimination spots.

The tall haired rider did manage to get a few flying laps in before the flag, but it was still not good enough. He was joined by Ingram, Tinmouth and BSB debutant, Alstare Bimota Junior’s Christophe Ponsson.

Mainwaring

Zanotti

Ingram

Wilson

Tinmouth

Winfield

Ponsson

Lo Turco

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