Portimao WSB: Bayliss on pole for final races of career

2008 World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss will be on pole for the final two WSB races of his career after setting the fastest time during torrential rain at Portimao.

Bayliss was the only rider to set a time under two minutes as he took the risky decision to go out early in the session, along with Ruben Xaus and Michel Fabrizio.

Xaus was the first rider out on track and managed to post a best time of 2.03.023, before high-siding in spectacular fashion on the final corner and returning to the pits to call it a day, with only five minutes of the session gone.

Fabrizio and Bayliss then took to the track, with Bayliss putting in several hot laps in quick succesion.

With 35 minutes to go Brits Cal Crutchlow and Jonathan Rea went out on to the track. Rea immediately set a time good enough for second, until Crutchlow posted a lap of 2.01.023 – over a second faster than Rea.

With half an hour remaining the conditions started to get considerably worse and Suzuki rider Fonsi Nieto was the only man out on track for 15 minutes.

Several riders including Haslam, Haga, Kagayama and Checa then took to the track, but with the conditions getting worse by the minute they struggled to get anywhere near the times set earlier in the session.

Leon Haslam eventually qualified in sixth place, ahead of Australian Troy Corser.

1. Troy Bayliss AUS Ducati Xerox 1098 F08  1min 58.548secs
2. Cal Crutchlow  GBR HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR 2mins 01.023secs
3. Jonathan Rea  GBR Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 2mins 02.027secs
4. Max Biaggi ITA Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1098 RS08 2mins 02.107secs
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098 F08  2mins 02.779secs
6. Leon Haslam  GBR HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR 2mins 02.861secs
7. Troy Corser AUS Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 2mins 03.014secs
8. Ruben Xaus  ESP Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1098 RS08 2mins 03.023secs
9. Regis Laconi  FRA PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse ZX-10R 2mins 03.494secs
10. Noriyuki Haga JPN Yamaha Motor Italia YZF-R1 2mins 04.420secs
11. Carlos Checa  ESP Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 2mins 04.496secs
12. Jakub Smrz  CZE Guandalini Racing by Grifo’s 1098 RS08 2mins 05.250secs
13. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  2mins 05.408secs
14. Ayrton Badovini  ITA Team Pedercini ZX-10R  2mins 06.354secs
15. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  2mins 06.830secs
16. Fonsi Nieto ESP Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000  2mins 10.953secs

17. Gregorio Lavilla ESP Ventaxia VK Honda CBR1000RR 1min 45.334secs
18. Sebastien Gimbert FRA Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 YZF-R1 1min 45.469secs
19. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 45.533secs
20. Roberto Rolfo  ITA Hannspree Honda Althea CBR1000RR 1min 45.659secs
21. Karl Muggeridge AUS D.F. Racing CBR1000RR 1min 45.796secs
22. Shinichi Nakatomi JPN YZF Yamaha YZF-R1  1min 45.803secs
23. David Checa  ESP Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94 YZF-R1 1min 46.010secs
24. Shuhei Aoyama  JPN Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR 1min 46.257secs
25. Tommy Bridewell GBR Team NB Suzuki GSX-R1000 1min 46.283secs
26. Makoto Tamada JPN PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse ZX-10R  1min 46.753 secs
27. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Team Pedercini ZX-10R  1min 47.231secs
28. Chris Walker  GBR Ventaxia VK Honda CBR1000RR 1min 47.310secs
29. Luis Carreira  POR Benimoto Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8  1min 47.675secs
30. Luca Scassa  ITA D.F. Racing CBR1000RR  1min 48.898secs