Laconi takes Qatar pole

Regis Laconi has taken pole position for the first round of the World Superbike championship at Qatar after rain upset the Superpole session.

It looked set to be a Suzuki at the front of the grid with Troy Corser topping both qualifying sessions but Laconi’s last ditch effort pushed him in front.

The Superpole session was declared wet, meaning riders got twelve laps rather than one flying lap, but after just three laps the rain came down in torrents. All the riders retreated to the pits leaving Sebastien Gimbert with a suprise fastest lap.

Just ten minutes before the end of the session the riders came back out but it looked like no-one would better Gimbert’s time. Corser just managed to push past with four minutes to go but Laconi put in a storming last lap and stoll pole position from the Aussie as the chequered flag started to wave.

See our six-page WSB preview in MCN this week (Feb 23) and full report and inside-paddock story of the first race weekend of the season in our March 2 issue.

We’ll bring you the results from both races tomorrow as they happen. The first race starts at 9am followed by the second race at 12:30pm.

Final places:

Laconi, Corser, Gimbert, Kagayama,

Pitt, Cardoso, Haga, Vermeulen,

Silva, Chili, Walker, Bussei

Toseland, Neukirchner, Abe, Borciani

Read the updates below to get a blow-by-blow account of the Superpole session.

1:50pm: Superpole has now ended with Laconi on pole.

Final positions:

Laconi, Corser, Gimbert, Kagayama,

Pitt, Cardoso, Haga, Vermeulen,

Silva, Chili, Walker, Bussei

Toseland, Neukirchner, Abe, Borciani

1:49pm Laconi takes pole just before the chequered flag.

1:46pm: Corser has stolen pole position with a 2:01.641 lap

1:41pm: Eight minutes left. Current standing: Gimbert, Laconi, Corser, Pitt, Cardoso, Haga, Walker, Chili, Silva, Toseland, Bussei, Vermeulen, Kagayama, Abe, Borciani, Neukirchner

1:40pm: All riders are now back out. Laconi has come closest to Gimberts time but is still 0.2 seconds down. The track is still damp

1:37pm: Laconi Corser and Silva head back out to complete their remaining nine laps

1:35pm: Cardoso back out on track

1:30pm: 20 minutes to go. The rain seams to be clearing but if no-one goes back out Gimbert will be on Pole.

Current positions: Gimbert, Laconi, corser, Pitt, Haga, Walker, Chili, Toseland, Bussei, Vermeulen, Kagayama, Abe, Cardoso, Neukirchner, Silva, Borciani.

1:20pm: All riders are in the pits. Heavy rain came down and everyone rode for shelter.

1:05pm (UK time): Wet superpole means riders get to complete up to 12 laps in 50 minutes. Gimbert takes the top spot after three laps with 2:01.889