Althea Racing Aprilia’s Davide Giugliano was fastest on opening day of the WSBK season finale.

Althea Racing Aprilia’s Davide Giugliano has topped the first timed qualifying session of the final round of the World Superbike Championship at Jerez.

After registering a top five finish in the morning practice session, Giguliano continued to improve as the day progressed, with a 1m42.374 lap moving him to the head of the field with just over five minutes left to run.

His late charge saw him displace BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Marco Melandri, who lapped 0.267s off the pace of his Italian rival.

Aprilia Racing Team rider Eugene Laverty maintained a top three placing following morning practice, finishing just 0.382 seconds off the pace.

Red Devils Roma Aprilia’s Toni Elias headed the first free practice session and was fourth-fastest in qualifying, holding the position despite a crash at turn 12 which prevented him from returning to the track.

Sylvain Guintoli slotted his factory RSV4 into fifth, starting his weekend in solid fashion as he and teammate Laverty look to peg back the gap to champion-elect Tom Sykes, who lapped conservatively in seventh.

Lorenzo Lanzi made a solid start to his Jerez campaign with eighth, heading home two factory machines in Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) and Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki).

Mark Aitchison proved the fastest of the two Aussies on track, slotting his Pedercini Kawasaki into 13th place, while Broc Parkes finished one place shy in his World Endurance team’s one-off appearance.

Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha riders Sam Lowes and Vladimir Leonov finished first and second respectively in the World Supersport ranks as riders enter a final scrap for championship points.

With Lowes already confirmed champion and Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki’s Kenan Sofuoglu a clear second, the primary battle will be centred around the fight for third.

The ZX-6R mounted Sofuoglu ran third ahead of Pata Honda’s Lorenzo Zanetti, with the ParkinGo MV Agusta F3 completing the top five.

AARK Racing’s Brodie Waters made a conservative start to his first weekend of competition at the Spanish circuit, placing 30th on his Honda.

MRS Kawasaki’s Jeremy Guarnoni led the way in Superstock 1000 qualifying, with Markus Reiterberger, the recently crowned German IDM Superbike Champion, running a competitive second in a substitute role with BMW Motorrad GoldBet.

Barni Racing Ducati’s Niccolo Canepa placed third from fellow Italian Lorenzo Savadori who headed four consecutive Kawasaki machines, piloted by Roman Lanusse, Leandro Mercado and Christopher Ponsson (fifth through eighth).

Team Go Eleven Kawasaki’s Christian Gamarino led the way in the first timed Superstock 600 session, with Tony Covena (Nito Racing Kawasaki Racing Team) and Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) running second and third respectively.

2013 World Superbike Championship
Round 14 – Jerez, Spain

Superbike qualifying one:
1. Davide Giugliano 1m42.374
2. Marco Melandri 1m42.641
3. Eugene Laverty 1m42.756
4. Toni Elias 1m42.782
5. Sylvain Guintoli 1m42.906
6. Leon Camier 1m42.936
7. Tom Sykes 1m43.114
8. Lorenzo Lanzi 1m43.162
9. Chaz Davies 1m43.170
10. Jules Cluzel 1m43.240
11. Xavi Fores 1m43.262
12. Ayrton Badovini 1m43.383
13. Mark Aitchison 1m43.721
14. Broc Parkes 1m43.786
15. Leon Haslam 1m43.821
16. Sylvain Barrier 1m43.879
17. Michel Fabrizio 1m43.958
18. Federico Sandi 1m44.102
19. Max Neukirchner 1m44.248
20. Vittorio Iannuzzo 1m45.328

Supersport qualifying one:
1. Sam Lowes 1m44.043
2. Vladimir Leonov 1m44.269
3. Kenan Sofuoglu 1m44.549
4. Lorenzo Zanetti 1m44.701
5. Roberto Rolfo 1m44.780
6. Massimo Roccoli 1m44.907
7. Michael Vd Mark 1m44.930
8. Roberto Tamburini 1m44.965
9. Danny Webb 1m44.973
10. Kev Coghlan 1m45.093
11. Christian Iddon 1m45.211
12. David Salom 1m45.255
13. Sheridan Morais 1m45.291
14. Mathew Scholtz 1m45.315
15. Jack Kennedy 1m45.425
16. Raffaele De Rosa 1m45.444
17. Riccardo Russo 1m45.544
18. Fabien Foret 1m45.575
19. Ronan Quarmby 1m45.702
20. Alex Baldolini 1m45.927
30. Brodie Waters (AUS) 1m49.017

Click here for detailed results