WSBK – Superpole Sepang: Guintoli persists and signs … pole –

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Superpole Sepang: Guintoli persists and signs … pole

WSBK - Superpole Sepang: Guintoli persists and signs ... pole -

Dominant during the test sessions in Malaysia, Sylvain Guintoli confirmed this afternoon in Superpole and won the controls of his official Aprilia the 4th pole position of his WSBK career. He is ahead of Sykes and Giugliano… Almost 40 ° C in the air and almost 50% humidity, a technical track 5.5 km long and …

Dominator during the test sessions in Malaysia, Sylvain Guintoli confirmed this afternoon in Superpole and won the controls of his official Aprilia the 4th pole position of his WSBK career. He is ahead of Sykes and Giugliano…

Almost 40 ° C in the air and almost 50% humidity, a technical track 5.5 km long and 25 m wide in places, a grip that leaves a little to be desired: these are the demanding conditions that ” offer the Sepang circuit, featured for the first time in the World Superbike calendar !

Well known to Grand Prix riders – so Melandri, Guintoli and Elias, in the lead during the long first practice session on Friday morning – the Malaysian track is tough for men, but also for machines that have to cover two long sprints in a row.

At the top of the timesheets since Friday afternoon, the Guintoli / RSV4 duo once again stood out in the Superpole final (SP2) by completing a lap of the circuit in just over 2 ’03. Fourth of the championship, our Frenchie has the opportunity to score – very – big points this weekend !

The provisional leader, "Number One" of the 2013 championship, however, will not make his task any easier: Tom Sykes will indeed start in the wheel of the n ° 50 Aprilia at the controls of his Kawasaki (also from the factory) which barely gallops. slower: the handful of km / h deficit will be filled by the suction phenomenon.

Davide Giugliano, whose official Ducati peaked below 300 km / h this afternoon in SP2 (this morning in France with the time difference!), Offers himself for the third time in a row a place on the first row of the grid. departure. Will he manage to master himself and cross the finish line in both heats? Suspense.

Taking advantage of his perfect knowledge of the track and of an Aprilia – private certainly, but no horses! -, Toni Elias has the luxury of getting ahead of the second factory RSV4 driven by Marco Melandri. Going unnoticed since the opening of the championship, will the Spanish star end up shining at Sepang ?

Our "Green Giant" Loris Baz was in the last corner of the circuit half a second ahead of his little comrades but, too greedy and victim of an unstoppable "lowside", was unable to cross the line. arrival. Tomorrow for sure, the n ° 76 will aim for the podium again.

Eugene Laverty for his part, almost got into orbit in the same bend (we speak of "Highside"). Fortunately, the Suzuki rider stayed on his wheels and did not make his situation worse: after testing the XHR-1 proto in Japan, "Yudjine" was in Phillip Island last week where he was not spoiled by the weather … and left Australia with a crumpled ankle !

The Irishman is ahead of the Welshman Chaz Davies and his official 1199 Panigale. Drafted in Superpole 1, Laverty’s teammate, Alex Lowes, closes 3rd on the second Gex of the Suzuki Voltcom Crescent. As always, the No. 22 rookie – but "number one" in the British Superbike – will be one to watch tomorrow !

The two riders of the Honda Pata team did not shine in the Superpole. Jonathan Rea completed the 5548 m of the Malaysian route 1.5 seconds slower than Guintoli, and Leon Haslam turned 7 tenths slower … He will be accompanied in 4th row by the first Evo bike: the official Ninja of David Salom.

Second fastest time in SP1 a few seconds before raising the checkered flag, Niccolo Canepa was given the ticket for SP2 by Salom. The Italian and his private Panigale (Ducati Althea) will start from the middle of the 4th row.

Claudio Corti was also one of the great animators of the first session of the Superpole. The transalpine will post his F4 RR (MV Agusta Yakhnich) on 14th place on the grid … and will try to integrate the Top 10 in the race that has eluded him since the start of the season.

The British Chris Iddon (Bimota Alstare), Leon Camier (BMW Italia) and the South African Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Iron Brain Grillini) will rank 5th in this unprecedented World Superbike event in Malaysia.

Ayrton Badovini had left to improve his time at the very end of SP1 – and was heading towards SP2? – but the Italian put too much of his front tire and couldn’t avoid the crash. Francis Batta’s colt has to settle for 18th place.

Fabien Foret takes 19th place on the grid, the first of 7th place. The n ° 9 of the Kawasaki Mahi team will be followed by poor Jeremy Guarnoni, cut short in his last lap by a breakdown – of gasoline? no, "loose camshaft"! – on his Ninja Evo prepared by Adrien Morillas’ team.

Author of the 22nd fastest time in the qualifying phases behind his teammate Alessandro Andreozzi, Romain Lanusse was unable to compete in Superpole 1. The n ° 98 rider of the Kawasaki Pedercini team will therefore take the lead of 8th row tomorrow, ahead of Brian Staring (Kawasaki Iron Brain Grillini) and Imre Toth (BMW Toth).

The second S1000RR of the BMW Toth team driven by Peter Sebestyen will lead the 9th and last place, on which will also be installed the two 1190 RX of the EBR team which give up to 40 km / h to the best machines! The races may be long for Geoff May and Aaron Yates…

Superpole World Superbike Sepang 2014

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