BSB Brands Hatch: Qualifying

Leon Camier has set pole position for this weekend’s British Superbike Championship round at Brands Hatch with the championship leader topping all three of the ‘Roll for Pole’ sessions. The Airwaves Yamaha rider was again the only rider to dip in to the 1m26s bracket and he heads into this afternoon’s first race, the first BSB race to be held on a Saturday, very much as the man to beat.

It was Michael Rutter that held on to pole position in the early stages but as the main protagonists got into the groove, he gradually slipped back. Camier’s time of 1m26.860s came mid-way through the session and although first Parkes, and then Morais, took up the challenge they ultimately fell short and it was yet another pole position for the recently turned 23-year old.

Parkes took second just ahead of temporary team-mate Morais, the South African having crashed at Clearways in Q1, with Karl Harris’ resurgence continuing in a strong fourth. Tommy Hill, who also slipped off in Q1, this time on the exit of Druids, regrouped and was able to take fifth in the final shout-out, just ahead of James Ellison who continues to get quicker through the course of the weekend, having lost two sessions due to technical problems.

Chris Walker. Karl Muggeridge, Rutter and Stuart Easton rounded out the top ten, with the latter named dropping way down the order in Q3 having occupied third for much of the first two sessions.

Steve Brogan was another rider to crash out in the opening part of qualifying, this time half way round Druids and although he got back to the pits, the repairs to his solitary bike meant he missed the first few minutes of the second session and he ultimately wound up 14th. Meanwhile, Dave Johnson crashed out at Paddock Hill and Chris Burns’ suffered an engine blow-up at Clearways – the duo will line up in 20th and 23rd respectively on the grid.

Qualifying times
1 Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) 1m26.860s
2 Broc Parkes (PBM Kawasaki) +0.223s
3 Sheridan Morais (PBM Kawasaki) +0.403s
4 Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +0.512s
5 Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.629s
6 James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +0.725s
7 Chris Walker (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +0.798s
8 Karl Muggeridge (HM Plant Honda) +0.976s
9 Michael Rutter (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +1.000s
10 Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +1.506s