Rea décroche la Tissot-Superpole à Buriram / Rea Takes Tissot-Superpole in Thailand

Le Britannique partira en tête de la grille pour la seconde fois de l’année en Thaïlande.

Après une troisième séance d’essais libres qui avait eu lieu sous la pluie samedi matin au Chang International Circuit, les pilotes ont à nouveau pu travailler sur piste sèche en FP4 grâce aux températures très élevées du climat local et ainsi préparer au mieux la séance de Tissot-Superpole, qui s’est aussi déroulée sur le sec.

Suite à une Superpole 1 dominée par Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Team) et Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) a été le premier à s’élancer en piste en Superpole 2 pour établir un premier temps de référence sur pneu de course, qui faisait de lui le premier pilote à passer sous les 1’34 à Buriram. Le Britannique, qui avait pris la pole en Australie le mois dernier, a ensuite attendu les derniers instants pour passer sur pneu de qualification et a alors tourné en 1’33.382 pour battre Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team - Red Devils) de 0.011s et ainsi s’emparer d’une seconde Tissot-Superpole consécutive.

Battu d’un rien, Haslam, qui mène conjointement le classement général avec Rea, se maintient cependant sur une première ligne occupée, comme en Australie, par trois Britanniques puisque la troisième position est revenue à Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), classé à 0.356s de la pole.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), quasiment une demi-seconde derrière son coéquipier, Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team - Devils) et Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing-Ducati Superbike Team) se sont quant à eux qualifiés en deuxième ligne.

L’ancien Champion du Monde Troy Corser, qui continue de remplacer Davide Giugliano chez Ducati, a réussi à décrocher la septième position, à 0.952s de la pole et devant les deux pilotes du Pata Honda World Superbike Team, Michael van der Mark, en progrès après son passage en Superpole 1, et le Champion du Monde en titre Sylvain Guintoli.

À l’instar de van der Mark, Mercado a lui aussi su profiter de sa qualification en Superpole 2 pour gagner plusieurs places et finir dixième, devant David Salom (Team Pedercini) et Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing).

Les Français Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team), qui a manqué la Superpole 2 à cause d’une petite erreur sur son dernier tour en SP1, Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) et Christophe Ponsson (Grillini SBK Team) partiront respectivement des 13e, 16e et 19e positions. 

The grid is set for tomorrow’s 20 lap WorldSBK races.

As the morning rain made way for hotter more humid weather, the track condition for the first ever Tissot-Superpole qualifying sessions was almost perfect with the track completely dry and the ambient temperature once again well into the 30’s.

The first ever Pole Position in the history of the eni FIM Superbike Championship in Thailand went to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) who came out on top of an exciting final 15 minute shoot-out that decided the grid for tomorrow’s two 20 lap races. Today’s result marks the 6^th Pole Position of his career.

In Superpole 1, Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) and Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda WSBK Team) were split by 0.211s, the pair claiming the first 2 positions in the session and progressing to join the already seeded top ten riders for the final qualifying session to determine the top 12 riders on the grid.  

Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia) was on course to make it through but made a small mistake in the final corner on his final lap. He will start both races tomorrow from 13^th just ahead of Nico Terol (Althea Racing) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who will join him on the 5^th row.

Superpole 2 was once again all action from start to finish with riders able to manage two flying laps on the softer Pirelli tyre without any issue. This provided some nervous moments for the teams but pure excitement for the packed grandstand along both straights, as it was not clear when the ultimate top time would occur.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) was the first to throw down the gauntlet with the fastest lap of the weekend, the first ever sub 1.34s lap of the Chang International circuit. Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) almost bettered it with his first flying lap before a mistake on his next lap ruined any chance he had at that point of the session.

Troy Bayliss (Aruba Ducati SBK) had sparks flying from his boots as he muscled his way into contention, the multiple former champion putting himself 3^rd with 4 minutes to go.

With everyone now on the softer option tyre the timing screens were illuminated as each rider set about overhauling Rea who was still clinging on at the top of the standings.

As the chequered flag was waved signalling the end of qualifying it was joint championship leaders Rea and Haslam that came out on top, the pair separated by 0.011s. The Kawasaki rider notching up his 2^nd consecutive Pole Position after taking top spot in Australia.

Alongside the front two Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) completes the front row with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Chaz Davies (Aruba Ducati SBK) making up row 2 ahead of Bayliss, van der Mark, and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda WSBK Team).

Today’s grid sees the top 7 covered by less than one second with 5 manufacturers represented in the top 8 places on the grid.

Race 1 tomorrow is scheduled to start at 1300 local time.