BMW's Leon Haslam crashed in the second part of today's World Superbike Superpole session as the extra grip generated by Pirelli's sticky qualifying tyres upset his bike's engine braking electronics.

The Derbyshire rider has to start on the third row tomorrow as the crash saw him unable to get back out due to the one-bike rule in WSBK but he says a good start can make all the difference.

“In Superpole two with the extra grip of the qualifyer tyre the engine braking changed quite a lot. Due to that I made a mistake in turn one. I carried on pushing trying to get a lap in but at the end of the fast straight the front brake locked and down I went," said Haslam.

"I will get some more physio treatment now and have a rest before tomorrow so all should be good for the races. If we can sort out the few remaining little issues we had this weekend we can definitely run at the front and go for the win. It wasn’t an ideal qualifying with 12th position but a good start tomorrow can make it up.”