Donington (Great Britain), Saturday 24 May 2014 –The Tissot-Superpole sessions ahead of tomorrow’s fifth round races for the 2014 eni FIM Superbike WorldChampionship were held in cold and wet conditions at Donington Park. After yesterday’s dry free practices the FP4 session this morning proved to be all important ahead of the two grid deciding sessions this afternoon.
At the second chequered flag it was Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) who claimed his second career pole position, by lapping the Leicester track in 1’44.903. Joining the Italian rider on the front row in both races tomorrow will be Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team).
Row two comprises Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team). In the session Guintoli, Rea and Giugliano all crashed and remounted after posting their fastest times.
Making it through from Superpole 1, Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) and Ayrton Badovini (Team Bimota Alstare) joined the already seeded riders after the combined Free Practices. Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) both crashed out unhurt at the fast Starkeys section of the track before posting a time. The pair were joined by an unlucky Badovini who also fell spectacularly at the end of the session on the fast uphill left hander, resulting in him not being able to take part in the second session. Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) had a slow speed crash at the Melbourne Hairpin while Fabien Foret (Mahi Team India Kawasaki) elected not to ride in the session.
Times: 1. Giugliano (Ducati) 1’44.903 average 138.059 kph; 2. Haslam (Honda) 1’45.009; 3. Melandri (Aprilia) 1’45.111; 4. Lowes (Suzuki) 1’45.258; 5. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’45.839; 6. Baz (Kawasaki) 1’46.058; 7. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’46.241; 8. Rea (Honda) 1’46.306; 9. Elias (Aprilia) 1’46.326; 10. Laverty(Suzuki) 1’47.963; 11. Davies (Ducati) 1’50.099; 12. Badovini (Bimota); 13. Iddon (Bimota); 14. Corti (MV Agusta); 15. Andreozzi (Kawasaki); 16. Canepa (Ducati); 17. Salom (Kawasaki); 18. Camier (BMW); 19. Foret (Kawasaki); 20. Guarnoni (Kawasaki).
