Michel Fabrizio was fastest at Phillip Island in WSBK on Friday. Image: Andrew Gosling/TBG Sport.

Italian Michel Fabrizio’s hot streak has continued in the season-opening round of the Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island, with the Aprilia rider setting the fastest time in today’s opening qualifying session.

Fabrizio, who set the pace in opening practice, again didn’t put a foot wrong as he stopped the clock at 1:31.317s, enough to edge out Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty (1:31.392) and BMW’s world number three Marco Melandri (1:31.539).

But it was a tight affair all round, and only 0.567s separated Fabrizio from Honda’s Jonathan Rea (1:31.884) in 10th position.

In between, all the other big guns were well positioned, including Aprilia’s Leon Camier, BMW’s Chaz Davies, Honda’s Leon Haslam and Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes.

Carlos Checa (Ducati), the recent Phillip Island master, could only manage the 12th fastest time after a big crash in this morning’s practice.

Immediately in front of Checa was Australian wildcard Jamie Stauffer (Honda), the Kurri Kurri rider dipping into the 1:31 bracket for the first time ever at Phillip Island with a brilliant late burst of speed.

Australia’s second wildcard, Wilton’s (NSW) Glenn Allerton (BMW), was 14th as he continues to fine-tune his setup for Sunday’s two 22-lap WSBK races.

Further qualifying and practice sessions will be held tomorrow at 9:45am and 12:30pm respectively, before the final run for grid positions in Superpole, which begins at 3:00pm.

British Yamaha rider Sam Lowes has reaffirmed his favourtism for the opening round of the 2013 Supersport World Championship at Phillip Island on Sunday by setting the best ever lap of the circuit in opening qualifying this afternoon.

Lowes scorched around the 4.445km layout in 1:32.545s on his Russian-backed machine, over one second ahead of reigning world champion Kenan Sofouglu (1:33.664).

The previous circuit best for a World Supersport bike was 1:33.847, set by Spaniard Joan Lascorz in 2010.

MV Agusta rider Roberto Rolfo (1:34.081) and Michael Van Der Mark (Honda, 1:34.106) were third and fourth in the 45-minute session, while Lake Macquarie rider Kevin Curtain (1:34.789) was the leading Australian in 15th, three spots ahead of Honda’s Josh Hook (1:34.944).

Hook wasn’t even expected to take part in qualifying after a massive crash at turn nine in opening practice, but his team was able to cobble together a makeshift replacement just in time.

West Wyalong teenager Matt Davies (Honda) and Wollongong’s Mitchell Carr (Triumph) – both full-time World Supersport riders in 2013 – were 25th and 27th respectively in the 31-bike field. Carr also crashed this morning and badly damaged his bike.

There will be a second practice session tomorrow morning before final qualifying at 4:05pm.

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