Source: World Superbike Championship.

Factory Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes took top spot in the dying stages of the final Donington Park World Superbike free practice session, the best possible start as he looks to replicate his double victory of last season.

The defending world champion made consistent improvements throughout the three sessions, with his benchmark lap, a 1m27.840, coming late in the piece as riders settled on the Superpole order.

In a variation to the regular format, all three timed practice sessions were held on Friday, placing extra emphasis on speed and setup. Intermittent rain also meant every dry lap was valuable.

Ducati Superbike Team’s Davide Giugliano set his best lap in the second session of the day, with the Italian keeping his hold on second position ahead of Superpole.

Giugliano would lap 0.242 seconds off the pace of Sykes, closely followed by the Aprilia RSV4 of Sylvain Guintoli who made solid gains in his third outing.

Loris Baz brought the second factory ZX-10R home in fourth, he too setting his best lap in the middle session.

Local favourite Alex Lowes was on the pace, using his intimate knowledge of the circuit to set the fifth fastest time of the day for Voltcom Crescent Suzuki.

Marco Melandri slotted the second factory Aprilia into sixth, with Eugene Laverty seventh for Suzuki, and the factory Hondas of Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam in eighth and ninth.

Chaz Davies brought his Ducati home in 10th, 1.107 seconds outside of countryman Sykes’ best lap.

Australia’s Bryan Staring turned his first laps aboard the EVO-spec Grillini Kawasaki, battling on despite breaking his arm a short time ago.

Unfortunately he would turn only 15 laps, all in the first session, therefore ending the day at the tail-end of the timesheets in 27th.

Mahi Team India Kawasaki’S Kenan Sofuoglu led the way after two sessions of World Supersport free practice, with the top 11 riders covered by a margin of only one second.

Honda rider Michael van der Mark ended the day just 0.117 seconds behind, while British star Kev Coghlan was boosted to a solid third for the DMC Panavto Yamaha outfit.

French rider Florian Marino was fourth for Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres, with Italian Lorenzo Zanetti completing the top five on the second of the factory Hondas.

With the World Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600 categories not taking part, the only regular class on the schedule was the Honda European Junior Cup, with British rider Josh Harland topping qualifying.

A handful of British domestic categories feature on the Donington Park schedule, with a host of Aussie riders in the mix in Superstock 600.

A stellar showing from Australia’s Levi Day saw him top free practice for CPE Kawasaki, leading home fellow ZX-6R rider Joe Collier by just 0.003 seconds.

2014 World Superbike Championship
Round five – Donington Park, England

Superbike free practice results:
1. Tom SYKES 1m27.840
2. Davide GIUGLIANO 1m28.082
3. Sylvain GUINTOLI 1m28.132
4. Loris BAZ 1m28.181
5. Alex LOWES 1m28.187
6. Marco MELANDRI 1m28.467
7. Eugene LAVERTY 1m28.495
8. Jonathan REA 1m28.665
9. Leon HASLAM 1m28.833
10. Chaz DAVIES 1m28.947
27. Bryan STARING (AUS) 1m35.916

Supersport free practice results:
1. Kenan SOFUOGLU 1m31.196
2. Michael van der MARK 1m31.313
3. Kev COGHLAN 1m31.340
4. Florian MARINO 1m31.568
5. Lorenzo ZANETTI 1m31.658
6. PJ JACOBSEN 1m31.669
7. Jack KENNEDY 1m31.870
8. Roberto TAMBURINI 1m31.934
9. Raffaele DE ROSA 1m32.033
10. Jules CLUZEL 1m32.204

Click here for detailed results