Ioda Aprilia’s rapidly-improving Italian Lorenzo Savadori ended today’s World Superbike sessions at Sepang at the top of the timesheets after a last-lap dash saw him demote former MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden into second with the only lap under the 2’04s barrier at the newly-surfaced Malaysian track.
But it was disaster for former WSBK king Tom Sykes as he failed to make it into Superpole two automatically. The works Kawasaki rider could only muster 11th place - one behind Jonathan Rea who took the final slot - and he will have to fight it out with Alex De Angelis, Xavi Fores and Leon Camier for a promotion tomorrow.
Savadori stuck in a 2'03.951 just as the chequered flag was about to come out and knocked back Honda’s Hayden, who had led for the final ten minutes with his best of 2’04.167. The American is a veteran of Sepang, having raced at the circuit countless times during his days in the blue riband class and the old Fireblade is performing well in terms of top speed on the long straights too.
German Markus Reiterberger took third place with his last lap, setting a 2’04.239 to nip ahead of Britain’s Alex Lowes. The Pata Yamaha man came out with a fresh rear for his final run and immediately went to the top of the standings 2'04.262 but couldn’t better it and slowly slipped to fourth but is only three-tenths off the lead.
Davide Giugliano is the leading Ducati by some margin as he fights for a place in the 2017 Aruba Ducati squad. The Italian was as high as fourth but settled into fifth place with his best of 2’04.295 while Althea BMW’s Jordi Torres, who led with 15 minutes of the second session left, ended in sixth.
Michael Van Der Mark is seventh on a 2’04.385 while Imola double winner Chaz Davies, who was confident about his Sepang weekend, is in eighth place. Pedercini Kawasaki stand-in Anthony West also put his MotoGP experience to good use and stuck in one good lap to secure a Superpole two slot in ninth place.
Reigning champion Rea ended in tenth but found a good rhythm with his last run, starting with his best of a 2’04.747, followed by two low-2’05s and then three more 2’04s laps. Sykes, on the other hand, is at sea with only one 2’04s lap to his name which is the same for Davies.
Leon Camier is getting battered in the top speed stakes on the MV Agusta, contending with a seven mile per hour deficit to the fastest man Torres - not much fun at a track with two very long straights. And not having much fun either is Josh Brookes. The Australian, who hasn’t raced at Sepang before, is down in 17th and 2.994s off the pace despite putting in his best of 2'06.945 on his final circulation.