Checa continues World Superbike form on Friday at Portimao
Spain's Carlos Checa continued to rule WSBK on Friday at Portimao.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) took over at the top in the afternoon’s World Superbike qualifying session after Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) had gone quickest in the morning’s free practice run at Portimao, Portugal, on Friday.
The 2011 champion’s time of 1:43.579 seconds was good enough to see off his closest challenger, an impressive Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team), by just 0.087 seconds, while Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert – Liberty Racing Ducati) also looked good, finishing two-tenths down in third.
Rea grabbed the final place on the overnight front row with the fourth quickest time, seeing off the challenge of Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing), the Italian not appearing to show any ill effects from his recent left foot bone fracture.
Two official Kawasaki ZX-10R machines were next up, with Spain’s Joan Lascorz getting the nod on Britain’s Tom Sykes.
In his last race for the official Yamaha team, Marco Melandri was in eighth place, while Japan’s Noriyuki Haga (PATA Aprilia) and the Czech Republic’s Jakub Smrz (Effenbert – Liberty Racing Ducati) rounded out the top 10.
Superbike rookie Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) made his debut in 18th place, while Santiago Barragan (Kawasaki Pedercini) wrapped up the field in 22nd. Yoshimura Suzuki wildcard Josh Waters was 21st quickest, his fellow Aussie Karl Muggeridge 20th in his stand-in ride for the Castrol Honda team.
The overall pace in wonderfully warm conditions was close throughout the field as 1.136 seconds covered the top 16 riders.
Spain’s David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) took the provisional pole in Supersport Q1 today, just a whisker ahead of Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) and Parkalgar Honda man Sam Lowes.
Newly-crowned world champion Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) was also right behind the top three with fourth fastest time.
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda men Florian Marino and Fabien Foret sandwiched the provisional second row in fourth and eighth with Aussie Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and Britain’s Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda) in between.
Right in the final moments of STK1000 qualifying, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Ducati) edged out Sheridan Morais (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) for the overnight top slot.
American Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) set the quickest time in the first qualifying session for the European Superstock 600 Championship, followed by the surprising Slovakian runner Tomas Krajci (TK Racing Slovakia Yamaha).
Romain Lanusse was third quickest for the MRS Yamaha France team, with championship challengers Michael van der Mark (Ten Kate Junior Honda) and Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Motorsports Yamaha) in fifth and seventh respectively.
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