AFTER GOOD QUALIFYING SESSIONS, EUGENE LAVERTY RAN INTO A DIFFICULT POLE: HE’LL START FROM THE THIRD ROW TOMORROW.

Monza, 5 May 2012 – The Monza Superpole was held today in truly critical conditions. The asphalt was only partially wet, so it wasn’t suitable for slicks, but in any case it didn’t allow the rain tyres to work perfectly, leaving the riders and teams with the honour of choosing the most satisfactory solution.

 The weather, which has played a key role in this first part of the championship, conditioned the Monza Superpole too. Max Biaggi, ranking leader of the championship, came through the first pole session, coming off of strong times in the practice sessions. In the battle of the top eight Max chose an intermediate tyre solution allowing him to take sixth place in the end, which means the second row of the starting grid for him.

“Superpole was difficult today – confirmed Max – First there was a small technical problem, possibly stemming from the crash in the last free practice session, and then the asphalt conditions made life difficult. We got into the top eight using rain tyres, but they deteriorated quickly on these long straight stretches. We tried with the intermediates but it was very difficult. In spite of everything we’re on the second row. Tomorrow is still a dilemma, I only hope that the conditions remain consistent and that they let us ride without apprehension”.

Eugene Laverty started out his Superpole in good conditions, despite the crash in the last free practice session. The bike which the Aprilia mechanics put back together in record time did not, however, guarantee the same confidence in the Northern Irish rider, who ended the first session in tenth place. In any case, his performance in the practice sessions encourages Eugene to look forward to the races tomorrow with relative confidence.

“This morning the bike was really going well, as the fourth place qualifying time showed. In the afternoon free practice session everything seemed OK as well, until the Parabolica braking zone where an unexpected downpour took me, Max and a couple other riders down. My mechanics repaired the bike in time for Superpole, but the feeling wasn’t that good, especially in the left-hand curves. I struggled a lot, but we’re tenth and that’s an acceptable result, all things considered, so tomorrow we’ll definitely make a play for it”.

Superpole qualifying times

1. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R 1m 54.276s 
2. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 54.990s
3. Marco Melandri ITA BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1m 55.971s
4. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 1m 56.793s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda WSBK CBR1000RR 1m 57.630s
6. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1m 58.667s
7. Jakub Smrz CZE Liberty Effenbert Ducati 1098R 1m 59.718s
8. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Ducati 1098R 2m 00.645s

9. John Hopkins USA Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 59.489s
10. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1m 59.680s
11. Michel Fabrizio ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR 1m 59.681s 
12. Leon Camier GBR Crescent Fixi Suzuki GSX-R1000 1m 59.845s
13. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia Goldbet S1000RR 1m 59.978s
14. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR 2m 00.093s
15. David Salom ESP Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 2m 00.602s
16. Chaz Davies GBR ParkinGO MTC Aprilia RSV-4 2m 01.772s

Did not progress to Superpole

17. Lorenzo Zanetti ITA PATA Ducati 1098R 1m 44.203s
18. Niccolo Canepa ITA Red Devils Ducati 1098R 1m 44.321s
19. Maxime Berger FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R 1m 44.489s
20. Hiroshi Aoyama JPN Honda WSBK CBR1000RR 1m 44.686s
21. Leandro Mercado ARG Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1m 45.156s
22. Mark Aitchison AUS Grillini Progea BMW S1000RR 1m 45.841
23. Sergio Gadea ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 1m 48.085s

Monza official WSBK lap records
Best lap: Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia RSV-4 1m 41.745s (2011)
Race lap record: Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF-R1 1m 42.937s(2010)