Provisional pole for happy Laverty
Fri, 25 Jun 2010
PARKALGAR HONDA racer Eugene Laverty is on provisional pole position for Sunday’s eighth round of the World Supersport Championship at Misano in Italy, one of his favourite circuits.
Miguel Praia on the second Parkalgar Honda is 12th after the opening qualification. A further practice and qualification will take place tomorrow before the race on Sunday 27th June at 1330CET. Register for all the news and views from the team by clicking Parkalgar Honda.
Eugene: “I was caught out early on by the front tyre - Kenan (Sofuoglu) had exactly the same crash at a different corner. I tried squeezing the brake a little harder than normal and there was little feel from the tyre and it let go. I came back to the pits and made a few adjustments and tried a few different tyres and I think we got it as good as we could for the conditions today. My laps at the end were good but I think we can improve further and get into the 1m38secs bracket. The rear end of my Parkalgar Honda is good and we are working on the front end to help me braking into the corners and entry speed. The first speed trap is after the fast kink and I am a lot faster through there than anyone else. You have to learn to be brave through there and my experience on two-strokes has helped
me and now I just love the fast sections on any bike.”
Miguel: “It was a good session and it is a shame that on one of my fastest laps I made a small mistake coming out of a corner that for sure cost us time, without that mistake I would have been a lot closer to the second row. It was a good session and much better than the first day at the last round and I am very confident that we can improve further as well. I like the very hot weather and the grip is coming to the track, I am having fun.”
Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “Four laps into qualifying and Eugene slid off losing the front end and is OK. After that we worked hard for front end feel and made big improvements – and there is more still to come. He did two good laps at the end; it wasn’t a single 1m39sec lap but a series of them which is good. Miguel was higher earlier on but moved back at the end – it is encouraging and he is in contention. He will have to work hard but he should be able to lap in the 1m40secs bracket – he rode better today that his position suggests.”
First Qualifying
1. Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) 1'39.437
2. Michele Pirro (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1'39.555
3. Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T.) 1'39.869
4. Kenan Sofuoglu (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1'39.919
5. Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech) 1'40.048
6. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) 1'40.126
7. Chaz Davies (ParkinGO Triumph BE1) 1'40.243
8. David Salom (ParkinGO BE1 Triumph) 1'40.622
9. Massimo Roccoli (Intermoto Czech) 1'40.770
10. Matthieu Lagrive (ParkinGO Triumph BE1) 1'41.098
12. Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda) 1'41.298
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