Yamaha Sterilgarda rider Cal Crutchlow sent a clear message today in the Superpole session, the British rider putting in devastatingly fast laps through the heats to claim his fifth pole position start of the year. Crutchlow’s fastest flying lap was just 0.7 seconds off the recent MotoGP pole time taken by Lorenzo at Silverstone and would have put the Yamaha Sterilgarda rider on the second row of the GP grid to start. Whilst his time on a qualifier was impressive, Crutchlow’s first Superpole heat delivered an equally astounding 2:04.5 on race rubber.

Crutchlow’s team mate James Toseland had a more frustrating end to his qualifying day. Toseland had been fast all weekend and determined to perform well in front of his home crowd. Having passed comfortably through the first Superpole heat he fell during the second. An unexplained tuck at the front saw him low-side midway through the lap, leaving him on the third row of the grid for tomorrow’s two races. Toseland has displayed fast consistent race pace all weekend so a good start will be needed to take the fight to the front.

Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (1st, 2:04.091)
“It is nice to have pole again, especially here at our home race, I had it last year at Donington as well. Coming back to the new Silverstone circuit is really good, it is a little but bumpy but not too bad. The lap time in Superpole was pretty good, I was absolutely desperate to do a 2.03, that was the target and the whole team were pumping me up to try it as it is the MotoGP pole time. Unfortunately I made a mistake coming out of the fast left-handers so it was not to be. I think there are a lot of fast people here this weekend so it should be close exciting racing tomorrow. All credit to the Yamaha team they have delivered a really good package this weekend so I am looking forward to the racing.”

James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (12th, 2:05.397)
“Things have been going pretty well this weekend, I have been quite pleased with the bike and things have been moving forward. The lap where I crashed I had my second qualifier in, it was working really well and when I came through the new section I tipped it left and it felt like something touched and picked up the front of the bike and away it went. It has really been one of those years this year. I am bitterly frustrated but we are still clinging on to the third row. We just have to brush ourselves down and get on with it tomorrow.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
“Cal did a really impressive lap in Superpole, I think he really wanted to show that in all the practices he was the fastest rider. The pace he has is good so now we are waiting to see what he can do in the races. James had a crash during the second Superpole session, It was unfortunate but with the race tyre we know he is fast so we know he has the pace to be in front tomorrow depending on his start. We think that we can be up there with both riders.”

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