Source: Kawasaki Racing.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) will start the eighth round’s two World Superbike races from the front of the grid after winning Saturday’s Tissot-Superpole at a very hot and sunny Portimao circuit, his third in a row at the Portuguese track and 22nd pole position so far in his WSBK career.

A thrilling Superpole 1 saw David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team) progress to join the already seeded top ten from the combined free practice sessions with the 12 riders then doing battle for the final 15 minute grid deciding shoot-out.

The opening session wasn’t without incident as after 4 minutes the red flags came out as the marshals tended to Claudio Corti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) who had fell on the rollercoaster section of the circuit.

He was taken to the medical centre for further checks. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) also failed to record a time as his Aprilia developed a technical problem on his out lap.

In the final 15 minute Superpole 2, the times at the top changed almost every time a rider recorded a time but at the flag and with less than a second covering the top nine, Sykes emerged as the fastest, ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team), who will join him on row one tomorrow.

Row two will see Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team), Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and other factory Aprilia rider Sylvain Guintoli, who recovered from a high speed FP4 crash to claim 6th.

In the battle of the EVO riders, Sylvain Barrier will start 10th and David Salom 12th. Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) crashed in the final minute of the session and will therefore start 11th tomorrow.

Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki) grabbed the World Supersport pole position in the final 10 minutes of qualifying at Portimao in Portugal despite a late charge from series leader Michael van der Mark, who will start second.

Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) improved as the session progressed eventually ensuring the final front spot in third, with Jack Kennedy completing the front row in fourth.

Lorenzo Savadori (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) is the pole sitter for Sunday’s 14-lap FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race at Portimao. The Italian rider edged points leader Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Team Ducati) and Kyle Smith (Agro-On Wil Racedays Honda), second and third respectively, with the Englishman getting his first front row start of his rookie STK1000 year.

Marco Faccani (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) won his fourth FIM Europe Superstock 600 race after dominating once again at Portimao, from Wayne Tessels (Wayne’s Racing Team) and Federico Caricasulo (Evan Bros Racing Team).

Javier Orellana (Europ Food S.L.) secured the pole position for the Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda. The young Spaniard, who is currently second in the standings, will be joined on the front row of the grid by compatriots Mika Perez (Cuna de Campeones) and points leader Augusto Fernandez (WIL Sport).

2014 FIM Superbike World Championship
Round eight – Portimao, Portugal

Superbike qualifying results:
1. Tom Sykes 1m42.484s
2. Jonathan Rea 1m42.765s
3. Chaz Davies 1m42.924s
4. Marco Melandri 1m43.038s
5. Loris Baz 1m43.048s
6. Sylvain Guintoli 1m43.076s
7. Eugene Laverty 1m43.245s
8. Davide Giugliano 1m43.317s
9. Leon Haslam 1m43.648s
10. Sylvain Barrier 1m43.754s (E)
17. Bryan Staring (AUS) 1m45.543s (E)

Supersport qualifying results:
1. Kenan Sofuoglu 1m45.924s
2. Michael van der Mark 1m46.002s
3. Jules Cluzel 1m46.089s
4. Jack Kennedy 1m46.310s
5. Raffaele de Rosa 1m46.591s
6. Lorenzo Zanetti 1m46.632s
7. Kev Coghlan 1m46.644s
8. PJ Jacobsen 1m46.673s
9. Florian Marino 1m46.726s
10. Massimo Roccoli 1m46.795s

Click here for detailed results