SBK: Portimao qualifying report – World Superbike

The seventh Pole Position of the 2015 season has been won by Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who claimed the fifth Pole Position of his career in this afternoon’s Tissot-Superpole session, the second of the year.

The Italian rider overhauled Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and team mate Chaz Davies by 0.116s and 0.359s respectively, on his way to the fastest lap of the weekend so far (1’41.764s). Giugliano was last at the front of the grid at Imola.

Behind the top-3, row two will see Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing), who made it three Ducati machines on the front two rows.

Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) achieved his best qualifying result of the season in 7th, while championship leader Jonathan Rea crashed at the exit of Turn 2 at the start of his second flying lap. The KRT rider will start tomorrow’s two 20 lap races from the middle of row 3 in 8th alongside Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils).

Row four has the BMW Motorrad Italia entry of Ayrton Badovini, Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati) and David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki). Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team), Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven) make up row five in positions 13 to 15 respectively.

Superpole 1 saw the aforementioned Alex Lowes and Leandro Mercado progress to the final shoot-out, courtesy of being the fastest two riders in the first 15-minute session.

Source: WorldSBK