Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea will line up alongside his team-mate Leon Haslam on the second row for tomorrow’s two tenth-round World Superbike championship races at the Nurburgring in Germany, after today’s final Superpole qualifying sessions. But the Isle of Man resident has been left feeling ‘frustrated’ after the rain put a dampener on his plans to improve his bike.

The rider was hoping for dry conditions as his team wanted to try a different arrangement to the front of the bike. When the track was fully wet Rea felt really comfortable on his Honda, but when the circuit started to dry the Northern Irishman experienced problems.

“Superpole was frustrating in those conditions because we really needed another dry session to try a different arrangement with the front. But the weather was what it was and when the track was fully wet I had a really good feeling with the bike,” said Rea.

“As soon as it began to dry I had no entry traction. It’s been an issue with the bike’s wet setting for many years and is a combination of engine brake control at the apex and the chassis setting.

"I really hope tomorrow morning is dry because I don’t have enough pace. It’s consistent but I need to find a bit more time, which I think we can do. All in all, though, it’s been a pretty satisfactory Superpole.”