Donington WSS: Crutchlow crashes but still takes late pole

Cal Crutchlow had a dramatic qualifying session at Donington Park ahead of round nine of the World Supersport Championship where he secured pole position.

Riding with a cracked bone in his ankle, the gritty Yamaha rider lost the front just four laps into the session and crashed. This fall cost him a lot of time and he has sustained a nasty cut to his right leg.

With everything seeming to go against him he dug deep and pulled out an awesome lap to take pole just as the session closed.

Cal said: “I could have been faster. I lost time on the brakes into the Melbourne loop as I ran wide. The reason for my crash was I couldn’t get back enough gears and it pushed me wide.

“The only good thing had been my right leg at the start of the session but now I’ve got a cut on it.”

Eugene Laverty on the Parkalgar Honda looked like he was on for pole as he grabbed P1 with just three minutes left to run, but Crutchlow’s late charge pipped him to it.

The Irish man said: “That was a good session. Second place is ok but there is still more work to be done to my Parkalgar Honda. We are not quite there yet so I hope we get a dry warm-up tomorrow to try out the changes.

“The lap times are fast and we are on the limit. I thought good race pace would be high 32s but now I’d say we need low 32s. I’m really looking forward to the race tomorrow I hope it stays dry as when it is wet it is a bit of a lottery round here.”

Joan Lascorz on the Kawasaki was on form and lead the bulk of the session finally finishing in third place. The last place on the front row of the grid went to former World Supersport Champion Kenan Sofuoglu on the Ten Kate Honda.

He started his session with a crash on his out lap but pulled it back to take a front row start.

Qualifying

1. C. CRUTCHLOW GBR Yamaha 1’31.701
2. E. LAVERTY IRL Honda 1’32.222
3. J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki 1’32.481
4. K. SOFUOGLU TUR Honda 1’32.818
5. M. AITCHISON AUS Honda 1’32.846
6. G. MCCOY AUS Triumph 1’32.879
7. M. ROCCOLI ITA Honda 1’33.062
8. K. FUJIWARA JPN Kawasaki 1’33.120
9. A. WEST AUS Honda 1’33.143
10. F. FORET FRA Yamaha 1’33.182
11. M. PIRRO ITA Yamaha 1’33.283
12. G. NANNELLI ITA Triumph 1’33.365
13. M. PRAIA POR Honda 1’33.455
14. D. DELL’OMO ITA Honda 1’33.476
15. A. PITT AUS Honda 1’33.544
16. H. KENNAUGH RSA Yamaha 1’33.590
17. B. VENEMAN NED Honda 1’33.833
18. M. LAVERTY GBR Honda 1’34.009
19. A. VOS NED Honda 1’34.020
20. J. WESTMORLAND GBR Triumph 1’34.102
21. R. HARMS DEN Honda 1’34.220
22. G. VIZZIELLO ITA Honda 1’34.301
23. K. COGHLAN GBR Yamaha 1’34.489
24. M.SMRZ CZE Daytona 1’34.659
25. J. GÜNTHER GER Honda 1’34.851
26. R. MURESAN ROU Triumph 1’35.051
27. P. VOSTÁREK CZE Honda 1’35.609
28. F. GENTILE ITA Honda 1’36.155
29. Y. GUERRA ESP Yamaha 1’36.273