RIZLA SUZUKI’S Tom Sykes is on the provisional front row for round 11 of this weekend’s World Superbike double-header after finishing this afternoon’s first wet qualifying session in fourth place at Donington Park.
The Rizla Suzuki team spent the free practice session fine tuning Sykes’s machine which paid dividends during qualifying. Sykes’s World Superbike qualifying time was five seconds faster than his time set at the British Superbike round at Donington Park and two seconds clear of the pole time for that event, showing just how much progress the team has made with its wet settings.
With wet weather forecast for tomorrow, it looks like Sykes will be on for another strong showing during second qualifying and Superpole. Sykes and his Rizla Suzuki team are sure there is more to come and are aiming for a front-row start.
Jack Valentine, Team Manager Rizla Suzuki: “I’m really pleased with how we have started out; we have been on the pace from the off. The team has worked really hard on the set-up of Tom’s Rizla Suzuki and we’re constantly making changes in the right direction. Tom has responded to those alterations and has been running consistently at the front. We now have a really good wet set-up which is reflecting in our lap times so I can’t wait to see what Tom and our technicians can achieve tomorrow.”
Qualifying results:
1: Troy Bayliss, AUS, (Ducati) 1:44.377
2: Ryuichi Kiyonari, JPN, (Honda) +0.151
3: Cal Crutchlow, GBR, (Honda) +0.250
4: TOM SYKES, GBR, (RIZLA SUZUKI) +0.305
5: Leon Haslam, GBR, (Honda) +0.436
6: Max Biaggi, ITA, (Ducati) +1.007
7: Ruben Xaus, ESP, (Ducati) +1.348
8: Carlos Checa, ESP, (Honda) +1.559
9: Gregorio Lavilla, ESP, (Honda) +1.667
10: James Ellison, GBR, (Honda) +2.015
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