Checa holds off Smrz at Brno

From WSBK Pressoffice

Two Ducatis led the way in Friday afternoon’s first qualifying session for the Czech Republic World Superbike round at Brno, the quickest being the Althea Racing machine of points leader Carlos Checa. The Spaniard’s time of 1 minute 59.322 seconds was a couple of tenths quicker than the one recorded by the next man, home favourite Jakub Smrz on the all-Czech Effenbert-Liberty Racing 1098R.

Another manufacturer pairing, this time from the Yamaha World Superbike Team, made up the provisional front row of the grid, Italian Marco Melandri just a fraction ahead of his team-mate Eugene Laverty. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) was next up in fifth place, the Italian as always opting to dedicate Friday to obtaining the best set-up for his bike. More is expected of Biaggi at his all-time favourite circuit for Saturday and Sunday. 

Tom Sykes had a good run near the end of qualifying to post sixth place on his Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike machine, with Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) right behind. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) completed the overnight second row, while the top 10 was completed by Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Ducati) and Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team).

Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) was 11th, just over a second from Checa, with Ducati privateer Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati) 12th.

After participating in the morning’s free practice session, Badovini’s regular team-mate James Toseland preferred to sit things out for the rest of the weekend due to his still recovering wrist, and his place was again taken by Lorenzo Lanzi. Lorenzo went 14th in his first session on the machine, just one place behind Noriyuki Haga (Pata Aprilia).

Mark Aitchison had a good first day on his Pedercini Kawasaki, as he was the last rider in the top 15, from a field of 22.

Falls in the unofficial opening session from Kawasaki Racing Team riders Joan Lascorz and Chris Vermeulen held back their efforts in first qualifying, with Lascorz 19th and Vermeulen 20th. Alex Lowes, riding as a replacement for the injured Jonathan Rea in the Castrol Honda team, was 21st, his first day in the WSBK class.

Aussie Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) set the quickest time of 2:03.611 in Supersport qualifying Friday afternoon at Brno, confirming the positive trend for the Spanish-run team. Second place behind Parkes went to Britain's Gino Rea after a great performance on his Step Racing Honda CBR600RR, with another Honda, that of Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate) in third.

Spain's David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com), quickest in the morning's free practice, had to settle for fourth place in the afternoon run.

Some problems were encountered by the two ParkinGO Yamaha riders, Luca Scassa and Chaz Davies, who are currently languishing down in ninth and 10th places respectively.

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) went four-tenths of a second quicker than the next man, Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) to take the provisional pole in Superstock 1000.

The first European Superstock 600 Championship qualifying session at Brno concluded with an American rider in provisional pole position. Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) went quickest with a time of 2:08.432, one-tenth ahead of Italian Christian Gamarino on another Kawasaki, this time from the Goeleven team.

Superbike Qualifying Times
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1:59.322
2. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1:59.585
3. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:59.653
4.Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 1:59.906
5. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1:59.940
6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:00.154
7. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR 2:00.164
8. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2:00.196
9. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:00.310
10. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR 2:00.348
11. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:00.440
12. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2:00.463
13. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2:00.494
14. Lanzi L. (ITA) BMW S1000RR 2:00.580
15. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2:00.604
16. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 2:00.681
etc.