Crutchlow fastest despite lack of grip

Cal Crutchlow secured the fastest time in this afternoons delayed World Supersport free practice session at Imola. The current championship leader set a best lap of 1m 52.751, 1.2 seconds slower than Kenan Sofuoglu best time at the Imola test in July.

The relatively slow times were put down to a lack of grip around the undulating 4.936KM track, especially in the first part of the lap.

Speaking to MCN, Crutchlow said: “The grip for me was bad everywhere, but it wasn’t just the track it was the bike as well. I used a soft tyre to get a feel, but to end up over a second off is rubbish.

“The rear is moving around a lot and right now we have a lot of work to do to be ready for tomorrow.”

Second place went to Ten Kate Honda man Sofuoglu with Joan Lascorz onboard his Motocard.com Kawasaki in third.

Eugene Laverty claimed fourth but revealed there is still a lot more to come from him and the bike.

He said: “I think the way it’s all been handled today with the track condition has been very unprofessional. The track is still very slippery and I wasn’t prepared to push to the limit.

“The bike is better in a few areas, but it’s costing us time in others, but I’m confident I can fix that.

Stand in rider Chaz Davies made a strong debut onboard the ParkinGo Triumph BE1 to claim tenth spot first time out in WSS and first time at Imola.

He said: The track is difficult to learn in places and you have to scare yourself a couple of times to find the limit, but I’ve had to do that because I have so much to learn in such a short space of time.

“The bike feels pretty much as I expected but we’ve got to do some work on the gearing and on the front end feeling.”

 1 35 C. CRUTCHLOW GBR Yamaha World Supersport Team Yamaha YZF R6 1’52.751 14 157,600 254,7

2 54 K. SOFUOGLU TUR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR600RR 1’53.234 0.483 0.483 16 156,928 253,5

3 26 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Motocard.com Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’54.897 2.146 1.663 22 154,657 248,8

4 50 E. LAVERTY IRL Parkalgar Honda Honda CBR600RR 1’55.270 2.519 0.373 12 154,156 250,6

5 51 M. PIRRO ITA Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha YZF R6 1’55.354 2.603 0.084 20 154,044 246,0

6 8 M. AITCHISON AUS Honda Althea Racing Honda CBR600RR 1’55.499 2.748 0.145 22 153,851 251,2

7 55 M. ROCCOLI ITA Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR 1’55.564 2.813 0.065 23 153,764 246,0

8 1 A. PITT AUS HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR600RR 1’56.198 3.447 0.634 13 152,925 248,8

9 13 A. WEST AUS Stiggy Racing Honda Honda CBR600RR 1’56.443 3.692 0.245 22 152,603 247,1

10 23 C. DAVIES GBR ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Triumph Daytona 675 1’56.537 3.786 0.094 24 152,480 247,7

11 9 D. DELL’OMO ITA Kuja Racing Honda CBR600RR 1’56.737 3.986 0.200 21 152,219 247,7

12 21 K. FUJIWARA JPN Kawasaki Motocard.com Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’57.438 4.687 0.701 20 151,310 244,3

13 99 F. FORET FRA Yamaha World Supersport Team Yamaha YZF R6 1’57.449 4.698 0.011 9 151,296 250,6

14 16 S. LOWES GBR Echo CRS Grand Prix Honda CBR600RR 1’57.644 4.893 0.195 22 151,046 241,6

15 117 M. PRAIA POR Parkalgar Honda Honda CBR600RR 1’57.662 4.911 0.018 11 151,022 247,1

16 24 G. MCCOY AUS ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Triumph Daytona 675 1’57.912 5.161 0.250 18 150,702 248,3

17 33 C. MIGLIORATI ITA Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’58.001 5.250 0.089 22 150,589 244,3

18 25 M. LAVERTY GBR Echo CRS Grand Prix Honda CBR600RR 1’58.236 5.485 0.235 14 150,289 245,5

19 77 B. VENEMAN NED George White Ten Kate R. Honda CBR600RR 1’58.484 5.733 0.248 17 149,975 247,7

20 40 F. GENTILE ITA Honda Althea Racing Honda CBR600RR 1’58.674 5.923 0.190 24 149,735 246,0

21 127 R. HARMS DEN Veidec Racing RES Software Honda CBR600RR 1’59.047 6.296 0.373 18 149,265 244,9

22 199 O. FOUR FRA Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR 1’59.568 6.817 0.521 21 148,615 241,1

23 34 E. RUSSO ITA Holiday Gym Racing Yamaha YZF R6 1’59.837 7.086 0.269 22 148,281 240,5

24 30 J. GÜNTHER GER RES Software Veidec Racing Honda CBR600RR 2’00.173 7.422 0.336 21 147,867 244,3

25 28 A. VOS NED Veidec Racing RES Software Honda CBR600RR 2’00.457 7.706 0.284 20 147,518 243,8

26 47 L. PEDERSOLI ITA ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Triumph Daytona 675 2’00.913 8.162 0.456 20 146,962 237,9

27 22 R. MURESAN ROU MS Racing Triumph Daytona 675 2’01.276 8.525 0.363 23 146,522 241,6

28 5 T. PRADITA INA YZF Yamaha Yamaha YZF R6 2’01.509 8.758 0.233 15 146,241 235,8

29 74 G. IRWIN GBR Direct CCTV Racedays Honda CBR600RR 2’07.572