Tom Sykes secured pole position for tomorrow’s World Superbikes action at Losail with another stunning Superpole performance to put him on the front row with team-mate Jonathan Rea and Ducati’s Xavi Fores.
The qualifying session in the desert began with Sykes in control, taking top spot ahead of the Aprilia duo of Jordi Torres and Leon Haslam but the Yorkshireman had to battle with Torres for supremacy in the early moments.
Torres has been in incredible form so far in Qatar and he challenged Sykes early, taking over the Kawasaki rider’s 1’57.916 with a 1’57.673 of his own although Sykes bit back quickly, flying through the last two sectors on his way to regaining his position at the top of the timesheets courtesy of a solid 1’57.620 lap.
With just seven minutes remaining of the qualifying shootout Leon Haslam - sitting third from his early lap - was one of only a handful of riders in the pits along with Jonathan Rea and Xavi Fores as Sykes and Torres duelled above him.
However, with five minutes to go all 12 machines dropped into the pits for some final changes before the really hot laps and it took just over a minute for most to get back out and chase for front row position.
With tyres and track temperature reaching an optimum, Jonathan Rea looked as if he had called it beautifully as the Ulsterman’s lap with a minute remaining placed him top, but Sykes was on a charge.
Rea was under in all three sectors on his way to a 1’56.997 but with his team-mate still out on track and hurtling around the 3.443mile circuit, it became clear the Superpole session would go to the absolute wire.
Sykes too was under in the three sectors and when he crossed the line he pipped Rea’s efforts with a 1’56.821 of his own to give him another fantastic Superpole success - the 30th of his career - at Losail ahead of tomorrow’s final races.
Xavi Fores took an excellent front row start for tomorrow with his 1’57.384, ahead of the second row trio comprised of his Ducati team-mate Chaz Davies, Leon Haslam and Jordi Torres, who may well be disappointed at failing to secure a place on the front row given his superb efforts up until now at Losail.
The Suzuki duo of Alex Lowes and Randy DePuniet will start the final races of 2015 on the third row alongside the Pata Honda of Michael Van Der Mark, while behind them Leandro Mercado, Matteo Baiocco and David Salom finalised the fourth row of the Superpole two starters.
Sylvain Guintoli and Leon Camier failed to make it through from Superpole one and both men will start 13th and 16th on the grid, respectively.
