WSBK : Marco Melandri maintains top spot in QP2 at Monza

from Twowheelsblog

The air at Monza has certainly given Marco Melandri a big boost of confidence after struggling these past few rounds.

The BMW Goldbet rider’s yesterday’s lap in 1′42.883 remained the benchmark for the field. The Monza track was still damp after an intense rain shower late last night, but the field was able to use their slicks and in the final minutes of the session with a drying track there was the usual final rush to qualify for this afternoon’s Superpole.

Melandri and Jonathan Rea didn’t improve their Q1 times, and were safely in first and second, but Sylvain Guintoli did. The Aprilia factory rider dropped four tenths of second from yesterday and touched a top speed of 333.6 km/h.

Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes and Eugene Laverty were 4th and 5th fastest, with the Aprilia factory rider pipping the two Aprilia privateers in the finale with Davide Giugliano in 6th and Michel Fabrizio finishing 7th.

Loris Baz also improved and he was 8th and followed by Fixi Crescent Suzuki duo Leon Camier and Jules Cluzel. Chaz Davies moved up to tenth after his yesterday’s bad crash at the Lesmo, which left his BMW in pieces and to be put together again.

Carlos Checa would have been in the Superpole after qualifying 11th yesterday, but the Spaniard has decided to withdraw from the round. The Ducati Alstare rider arrived at Monza suffering from osseous edema on his humerus.

Qualifying for the Monza Superpole are Ayrton Badovini, Fabrizio Lai who is replacing injured Alexander Lundh in Kawasaki Pedercini, Max Neukirchner, and Federico Sandi who edged out Mark Aitchison for the last spot in Superpole

2013 WSBK Monza Q2 results:

1. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′42.883
2. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1′43.157
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′43.167
4. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′43.521
5. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′43.535
6. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′43.623
7. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′43.849
8. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′43.961
9. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′44.090
10. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′44.466