Pole for Hodgson – Kagayama second

Neil Hodgson has taken pole position for the sixth round of the World Superbike championship at Silverstone.

Hodgson started the weekend badly, still recovering from a throat infection and trying out a new chassis. But by this afternoon’s Superpole session the Ducati 999 had been sorted and he put in a storming lap of 1:52.875 to take the first place on the grid.

But the British rider had to work really hard for the result and is still feeling quite rough. After Superpole he said this is the first time that he has not been looking forward to a race and just wants to get it over.

Rizla Suzuki British Superbike rider Yukio Kagayama surprised everyone by urging his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to within just 0.044 seconds of Hodgson taking second place on the grid for tomorrow’s race.

Regis Laconi finished with a time of 1:53.043 beating Gregorio Lavilla to third place by just 0.001 seconds.

The brits have packed out the second row of the grid with British wildcard Michael Rutter taking fifth followed by the HM Plant Ducatis of James Toseland and Chris Walker, while Kagayama’s team-mate John Reynolds fills the last spot.

Rutters team-mate Sean Emmett will start the race in 11th place behind Frankie Chili and Ruben Xaus, with Lucio Pedercini, Marco Borciani, David Garcia and Giovani Bussei finishing off the Superpole riders.

Vittorio Iannuzzio crashed badly on his Superpole lap causing the session to be red flagged for a while. The Italian rider was just about to finish the lap but got on the power to too early coming out of the new chicane and high sided within sight of the finish line.

He landed heavily on his back and had to be stretchered off. But it seems he was just badly winded and will be back out on track for tomorrow’s race.

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