Qatar WSB: Spies takes second successive pole

Factory Yamaha rider Ben Spies has taken his second successive pole and smashed another lap record at the Qatar World Superbike round.

Spies – who has run at the front in all sessions – posted a lap of 1’57.280 to see off the competition of Jakub Smrz and Max Biaggi.

American Spies said: “I think the most important thing is that we’re on the front row for tomorrow because the race pace for tomorrow is looking very competitive.

“The qualifiers were a lot quicker than I thought they would be, they were really good.”

Guandalini Ducati rider Jakub Smrz surprised the paddock by setting the second fastest time behind Spies. Smrz consistently ran at the front throughout the new superpole session.

Big-hitters Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga rounded out the front row in third and fourth.

Yamaha rider Tom Sykes and Sterilgarda Ducati rider Shane Byrne were the only Brits to make it into the final eight.

Sykes will sit at the front of the second row in fifth, with Sykes bringing up the rear in eighth place.

Fellow Brits Jonathan Rea, Leon Haslam and Tommy Hill failed to make it into the top 16 for the second superpole session.

Brit hopeful Leon Haslam said: “We seem to be plagued by technical issues and have only done around fifteen flying laps in total over the whole weekend.

“Despite the issues we set out on a race tyre and made a gamble to save the qualifiers for the ending but missed out on that. But that’s the way it goes in the new Superpole qualifying.

“Tomorrow is a different story, there is a few areas we still need to improve, but I am looking forward to tomorrow’s race.”

The BMW pair of Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser managed to just break in to the top 16, but neither could make the top eight, finishing 15th and 16th respectively.

1 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1’57.280
2 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’57.384
3 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1’57.694
4 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1’57.850
5 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1’57.878
6 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 1’58.755
7 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.090
8 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 2’00.021
9 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’58.734
10 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’58.919
11 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’59.044
12 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.055
13 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’59.074
14 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1’59.134
15 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1’59.435
16 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1’59.454
17 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.713
18 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.882
19 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1’59.926
20 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2’00.108
21 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2’00.738
22 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’00.839
23 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’01.047
24 24 Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 2’01.165
25 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’01.560
26 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’01.561
27 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’01.607
28 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’02.663