Lausitzring World Superbikes: Kawasaki's Fonsi Nieto takes surprise first pole

Fonsi Nieto is the surprise pole man for Sunday’s two World Superbike races after making the best use of the dry track at the start of the Superpole session.

With Superpole declared wet each rider gets a maximum of 12 laps in the 50 minute session and Fonsi Nieto was the first man out on track meaning he got to complete a relatively dry lap before the rain started.

Nieto’s Kawasaki team-mate Regis Laconi, who has just signed for the PSG-1 team for 2008, finished in second place all be it four seconds behind Nieto after getting a lap in early.

The rest of the top men had to set their best lap time on a wet track which resulted in numerous crashers including Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s James Toseland, Team Sterilgarda’s Ruben Xaus, Alstare Suzuki’s Karl Muggeridge and DFX Corse’s Michel Fabrizio.

Third spot went to Xerox Ducati’s Troy Bayliss who has looked fast and comfortable at Lausitz this weekend regardless of it being wet or dry.

Yamaha’s Troy Corser was another man who looked smooth and comfortable in the conditions to go fourth fastest with Max Biaggi fifth and Rben Xaus sixth.

Championship leader James Toseland claimed seventh spot to secure his place on the second row and will start alongside his closest championship rival in Yamaha’s Noriyuki Haga in eighth.

 

Lausitzring World Superbikes Superpole results:

1 Fonsi NIETO ESP Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’50.681
2 Regis LACONI FRA Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’54.559
3 Troy BAYLISS AUS Ducati 999 F07 1’55.196
4 Troy CORSER AUS Yamaha YZF-R1 1’55.360
5 Max BIAGGI ITA Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7 1’56.746
6 Ruben XAUS ESP Ducati 999 F06 1’57.271
7 James TOSELAND GBR Honda CBR1000RR 1’57.384
8 Noriyuki HAGA JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 1’57.782
9 Max NEUKIRCHNER GER Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6 1’58.528
10 Roberto ROFLO ITA Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.127
11 Lorenzo LANZI ITA Ducati 999 F07 2’01.899
12 Michel FABRIZIO ITA Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.021
13 Martin BAUER AUT Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.197
14 Karl MUGGERIDGE AUS Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.930
15 Shinichi NAKATOMI JPN Yamaha YZF-R1 2’05.278
16 Yukio KAGAYAMA JPN Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7 (1’38.980)
17 Jakub SMRZ CZE Ducati 999 F05 (1’41.369)
18 Steve MARTIN AUS Suzuki GSX-R1000 K6 (1’41.464)
19 Yiri Tiberio FRA Honda CBR1000RR (1’42.068)
20 Luca Morelli ITA Honda CBR1000RR (1’42.807)
21 Joann Drazdak CZE Yamaha YZF-R1 (1’42.950)
22 Dean Ellison GBR Ducati 999RS (1’45.138)