Aruba Ducati’s Chaz Davies found some of the feeling during World Superbike Superpole today he has been lacking so far this weekend and will start from the outside of the front row for tomorrow’s double header.

The Welshman stuck in a 1’42.123 to claim third place after struggling to get the front-end of the Panigale to do his bidding at the Portugese track.

“It was a step forward in Superpole, I got a bit more feeling that I needed from the front end so it was better. I have been trying to improve the feeling even on the short runs, so ave been in and out, in and out,” said Davies, speaking at Portimao.

“I hadn’t been able to ride like I wanted to ride but it now seems better. It is a bit of a handful on the bumps, the chassis makes some shapes.”

Both Davies and tea-mate Giugliano, who is on pole, got an exhaust upgrade yesterday and Davies says it has made the power delivery a little smoother.

“Visually, the new exhaust is worth about three-tenths! It is a bit cleaner and smoother, and on track that makes a difference because it is about how it rides as well as the extra horsepower.”