Tom Sykes has taken his 7th pole position of the 2013 season during today’s first ever World Superbike Superpole session at the Istanbul Park raceway.
The Kawasaki rider who hasn’t sat in pole position since Imola (three rounds have gone by) posted a 1.54.872 lap that was enough to pip championship title rival Sylvan Guintoli by a mere 0.022s, leaving the Frenchman in second on the starting grid in an Aprilia domination.
Unexpectedly the third spot on the grid went to Althea Racing’s Davide Giugliano who so far this Turkish weekend hasn’t been that incisive and opening the second row in fourth and fifth. were another two Aprilia riders, factory rider Eugene Laverty and a very impressive, and debuting Toni Elias on the Red Devil’s branded RSV4.
The first ever Moto2 World champion was 0″674s from Sykes and ahead of Jules Cluzel.
BMW Goldbet’s Marco Melandri (who suffered a crash SP1) and Chaz Davies, will start on the third row in 7th and 8th respectively, while Leon Haslam who still isn’t completely fit will take off in 9th.
Opening the fourth row will be Team Pedercini’s Mark Aitchison who is substituting for the third consecutive round injured Alexander Lundh, while Federico Sandi was 11th and ahead of Michel Fabrizio who is replacing Jonathan Rea in the Pata Honda World Superbike team.
Local wild cards Tolga Uprak (BMW Sampiyon 169 Team) and Yunus Ercelik (Kawasaki CMS-Eypbike Racing Team) qualified 13th and 14th as Vittorio Iannuzzo had technical problems.
With Loris Baz not taking part in this weekend’s proceedings and Carlos Checa, Leon Camier and Max Neukirchner ruled out, only sixteen riders will take part in tomorrow’s two races.
2013 WSBK Istanbul Superpole results:
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′54.872
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′54.894
3. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.073
4. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.340
5. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.546
6. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′55.614
7. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.402
8. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.416
9. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1′56.463
10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′57.001
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′54.894
3. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.073
4. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.340
5. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′55.546
6. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′55.614
7. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.402
8. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1′56.416
9. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1′56.463
10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′57.001
from TWOWHEELSBLOG
