FGSport revisits the Superpole in 2009

Friday, in the adorable village of Sevenoaks a few minutes from Brands Hatch, it is a glass of champagne in hand that FGSport executives welcome a group of handpicked journalists. On the menu: modification of the Superpole.

Friday August 1, in the adorable village of Sevenoaks a few minutes from the Brands Hatch circuit, it is with a glass of champagne in hand that the executives of FGSport, promoter of the World Superbike, welcome a group of handpicked journalists at Vine Restaurant…

The time has come for the official announcement and it is Paolo Flammini, the big boss of FGSport himself, who takes the floor. "We are always looking for new ideas to develop our discipline.", begins the boss of the Superbike."In 2009, we decided – in consultation with the teams – to change the format of the Superpole. From now on, it will no longer be an individual but collective session, which will no longer retain the 16 best pilots but the 20 fastest. They will start at the same time on the track for a first session of 12 minutes of practice at the end of which we will keep the 16 fastest drivers. After a stop of seven minutes, these 16 pilots will leave for a new session of 12 minutes. Only the best 12 will stay, then another session to finally keep the best eight and determine the final ranking of the starting grid".

The Superpole is therefore transformed into three sessions of twelve minutes, interspersed with stops of seven minutes. Why such a decision after more than ten years of good and loyal service to the Superpole in its current form? For television, of course !

Paolo Flammini is a fan of Nascar (the most popular racing formula in the United States) and he knows full well what is and what is not televisual in motorsport. However, the fact that Eurosport (at European level) and Dorna (promoter of MotoGP) divorced in 2009 (read) should benefit the Superbike audience.

Flammini therefore seizes the opportunity and emphasizes the show. The modification of the Superpole session is undeniably in the direction of the show: we can already imagine the twenty drivers who will have no other choice but to disconnect at the same time on the track. Some will inevitably put strategies in place, others will try to hook a good wheel to snap a time, etc..

In summary, this arrangement is similar to reproducing three times in a row, in the space of three quarters of an hour, the last ten minutes of a qualifying session: these last ten very intense minutes, during which the pilots unpin to go look for the best time on the track !

Let’s just hope that Eurosport France will have the good idea to broadcast this show, whose appointment is set for Saturday at 3 p.m., from the first meeting of the Superbike season in 2009 !

A. LAFFUT – Photos DR

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