Assen (the Netherlands), Saturday 26 April 2014 – Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) will start both of tomorrow’s 21-lap races from pole position after securing the first Tissot-Superpole of his career today at Assen, courtesy of his 1’34.357 lap time (a new outright best lap of the circuit) set moments before the arrival of the rain.
Loris Baz: “I am not sure why my lap time was so good but I had been feeling good all weekend and I was just missing one or two tenths from yesterday. Superpole was just perfect. I knew it was going to rain so I just pushed as hard as I could and I am really happy with this performance. I think we are better with a qualifier just because of all the changes we made in set-up this year. Everything is about confidence because the bike is working well and every time on the bike you build confidence. Being on the podium twice in Aragon made me very confident for all the season.”
As we have seen already this season under the new format, the 15 minute shootout is proving to be a close and exciting addition to the Tissot-Superpole and in today’s shootout it was the turn of Baz to shine.
Joining Baz on the front row tomorrow will be fellow Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli… (read more)
Sylvain Guintoli: “We made a lot of progress today, session after session, and Superpole gave us a final confirmation of that. I was fast and had a good feeling straight away. This is a big boost of confidence for tomorrow’s races. It’s always a shame to miss the pole position when you know you could have taken it, but a front row start is an excellent result nevertheless, especially on a track like Assen. We have also taken a big step forward in terms of race pace and tomorrow, if the weather will be on our side, we will definitely be in the mix.”
World Supersport
Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) will start tomorrow’s 3rd round of the World Supersport championship after grabbing his career first World Supersport pole position at Assen this afternoon. With spots of rain falling in the final 15 minutes few riders would improve over their times set earlier meaning Marino remained on the top spot courtesy of a 1.38.106s lap time despite a valiant attempt… (read more)
Times: 1. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’38.106 average 166.669 kph; 2. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’38.225; 3. Vd Mark (Honda) 1’38.228; 4. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 1’38.334; 5. Kennedy (Honda) 1’38.762; 6. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1’38.792; 7. Zanetti (Honda) 1’38.843; 8. Bussolotti (Honda) 1’38.857; 9. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 1’38.917; 10. De Rosa (Honda) 1’38.979; 11. Russo (Honda) 1’39.048; 12. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 1’39.245; 13. Wahr (Yamaha) 1’39.290; 14. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 1’39.376; 15. Leonov (MV Agusta) 1’39.486; etc.
Superstock 1000
The one and only qualifying sessions for the 2nd round of the FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup was held in less than perfect conditions a short time ago at the iconic Assen circuit in the Netherlands. Fresh from his podium finish in Aragon, the honour of Pole Position went to Pedercini Kawasaki’s Lorenzo Savadori, who claimed his first ever category top spot position in the decisive qualifying session… (read more)
Times: 1. Savadori (Kawasaki) 1’38.252 average 166.421 kph; 2. Mercado (Ducati) 1’38.401; 3. Jezek (Ducati) 1’38.568; 4. Massei (Ducati) 1’38.845; 5. Valk (Kawasaki) 1’38.888; 6. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1’39.033; 7. Walraven (Suzuki) 1’39.343; 8. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 1’39.491; 9. Smith (Honda) 1’39.570;10. Muresan (BMW) 1’39.632; 11. Cecchini (BMW) 1’39.892; 12. Grotzkyj G. (Kawasaki) 1’39.925; 13. Day (Honda) 1’39.990; 14. D’Annunzio (BMW) 1’40.089; 15. Nemeth (Kawasaki) 1’40.102; etc.
Superstock 600
Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing Yamaha) has won the second round of the FIM Europe Superstock 600cc Championship after a masterful display at a rain soaked Assen circuit in the Netherlands. A downpour just moments before the race meant a slight delay to proceedings but when the red lights eventually went out the committed fans who stayed and braved the treacherous conditions were treated to an… (read more)
Results: 1. Tuuli (Yamaha) 13 Laps/59.046 km in 26’39.089 average 132.929 kph; 2. Manfredi (Honda) 5.151; 3. Tessels (Suzuki) 14.661; 4. Hartog(Suzuki) 24.700; 5. Tucci (Kawasaki) 26.053; 6. Duwelz (Kawasaki) 29.694; 7. Lahti (Yamaha) 29.704; 8. Salvadori (Kawasaki) 32.784; 9. Mikhalchik(Kawasaki) 39.973; 10. Faccani (Kawasaki) 41.212; 11. Gobbi (Yamaha) 57.273; 12. Rinaldi (Yamaha) 1’01.408; 13. Zeelen (Yamaha) 1’04.106; 14. Pittet(Yamaha) 1’19.077; 15. Nestorovic (Yamaha) 1’38.739; etc.
Standings (Round 2 of 7): 1. Tuuli 38; 2. Tessels 32; 3. Faccani 31; 4. Tucci 31; 5. Manfredi 27; 6. Mikhalchik 18; 7. Duwelz 18; 8. Salvadori 18; 9. Hartog 13; 10. Lahti 10; 11. Casalotti 9; 12. Nestorovic 7; 13. Gobbi 5; 14. Lewis 5; 15. Zeelen 5; 16. Rinaldi 4; 17. Marchal 4; 18. Canducci 3; 19. Pittet 2.
European Junior Cup
The second qualifying session of the Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda took place today under changeable conditions. Drops of rain fell at times during the 30 minutes on track, which affected the riders’ performance even though most of them were able to improve their times from yesterday’s first session. Marc Miralles (Honda Spain) set the fastest lap in 1’56.822s to secure pole position. The current points leader will be joined on the front row of the grid tomorrow by compatriot Javier Orellana (Europe Food SL) and Estonian rider Hannes Soomer (Auto24ring).
Times: 1. Miralles 1’56.822 average 139.967 kph; 2. Orellana 1’56.884; 3. Soomer 1’57.272; 4. Brink 1’57.278; 5. Perez 1’57.283; 6. Fernandez 1’57.469; 7. Licciardi 1’57.587; 8. Hubner 1’57.764; 9. Fernandez 1’57.820;10. Geissler 1’57.956; etc.
