Donington WSS: Highside doesn’t stop Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow aboard his Yamaha World Supersport machine got the ninth round of the World Supersport Championship off to a painful start with a highside at Goddards on the opening lap of free practice.

The World Supersport Championship leader brought out the red flags as he was pitched from his bike and came down hard tweaking his right ankle and hand. In true Cructhlow fashion he got back to the pits and out on track again to post the fastest time.

Joan Lascorz on the Kawasaki Motocard.com machine had lead the way until halfway through the session when Crutchlow pipped him to it by 0.327secs.

With just 15 minutes of the session remaining rain started to fall bringing the session to a premature end. Eugene Laverty on the Parkalgar Honda was running in third place with Fabien Foret, team-mate to Crutchlow, completing the top four.

Laverty said: “That was a good to start, we got to try out different tyres and we are sorted for Sunday. We had a little suspension change to try but it rained so we could do with a dry session tomorrow to try it out or even just a dry 15 minutes. We are not too far away so I’m happy.” 

Free practice results:

1. C. CRUTCHLOW GBR Yamaha 1’33.323

2. J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki 1’33.650

3. E. LAVERTY IRL Honda 1’33.871

4. F. FORET FRA Yamaha 1’33.928

5. K. SOFUOGLU TUR Honda 1’34.175

6. K. FUJIWARA JPN Kawasaki 1’34.219

7. M. AITCHISON AUS Honda 1’34.578

8. G. MCCOY AUS Triumph 1’34.986

9. A. WEST AUS Honda 1’35.015

10. B. VENEMAN NED Honda 1’35.061

11. M. PRAIA POR Honda 1’35.141

12. A. PITT AUS Honda 1’35.209

13. J. WESTMORLAND GBR Triumph 1’35.248

14. M. PIRRO ITA Yamaha 1’35.253

15. R. HARMS DEN Honda 1’35.267

16. G. NANNELLI ITA Triumph 1’35.405

17. G. VIZZIELLO ITA Honda 1’35.507

18. M. ROCCOLI ITA Honda 1’35.667

19. D. DELL’OMO ITA Honda 1’35.975

20. M. LAVERTY GBR Honda 1’36.115

21. H. KENNAUGH RSA Yamaha 1’36.261

22. J. GÜNTHER GER Honda 1’36.267

23. A. VOS NED Honda 1’36.317

24. M.SMRZ CZE Triumph 1’36.480

25. F. GENTILE ITA Honda 1’36.914

26. P. VOSTÁREK CZE Honda 1’36.993

27. Y. GUERRA ESP Yamaha 1’37.704

28. R. MURESAN ROU Triumph 1’38.329

29. K. COGHLAN GBR Yamaha 1’38.635