DMC Panavto-Yamaha’s Kev Coghlan will start the World Supersport race at Sepang from the front row. But it’s not pole for the Scottish rider, that accolade went to Yakhnich’s Jules Cluzel.

The Perthshire rider lapped a 2’08.424, and was only a tenth off the best lap of pole-setter Cluzel. It was a solid effort by Coghlan, especially on his circuit debut and he starts from second on the grid. Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark completes the front row for tomorrow’s race.

In the beginning, Cluzel, who has been setting the pace all weekend started strongly once again and a 2’08.815 was enough to push him to the top of the timing-screens after 15 minutes. Coghlan also had a solid start, but was eight tenths off the pace of the former World Superbike rider, but still in a provisional front row position.

Coghlan continued to improve, and was only the second rider to lap inside the 2’08 bracket after Cluzel with 20 minutes of track time remaining. CIA Insurance Honda’s Jack Kennedy was another rider who found a comfortable rhythm around the hot Malaysian track. The Dubliner went from eleventh to seventh after 25 minutes with a 2’09.613, just behind Kawasaki Intermoto’s PJ Jacobsen.

Former triple champ Sofuoglu quietly made his dent on the top three, and a 2’08.977 put him third on the timesheets with only 20 minutes left. Meanwhile Cluzel continued to make his way around the sweltering circuit and upped the pace even more – with a 2’08.331.

Current championship leader Pata Honda’s Michael Van Der Mark was stuck in fourth for the majority of the qualifying session but with Sofuoglu in the pits the Dutchman was able to improve with a 2’08.961 to go into third with only three minutes of track time available to the riders.

As the chequered flag came out it appeared to be grid-locked out on the track, with many riders trying to make an impact on the top five. Go Eleven’s Roberto Rolfo and Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti, along with Sic Racing’s Zaqhwan Zaidiz all improved with last lap dashes – to take the fifth, sixth and seventh positions on the starting grid.

With a bunch of riders bettering their lap times it meant that Kennedy slipped to ninth and will round off the third row.  Com Plus Racing’s Fraser Rogers ended the qualifying session in 20th after a 2’11.497.