Nurburgring WSB: Ducati take charge at the ring, Sykes and Laverty in the mix

World champion Carlos Checa secured a convincing provisional pole position ahead of his Althea Ducati team-mate Davide Giugliano at the Nurburgring today.

The 39-year-old Spaniard who won race one last year set a best time of 1’55.307 – 0.443s faster than the young Italian.

Tom Sykes was the first of the main championship contenders, finishing third onboard his factory Kawasaki. Eugene Laverty rounded out the front row on his Aprilia one place ahead of Leon Haslam in fifth.

Max Biaggi who recently lost his championship lead to Marco Melandri ended the day in sixth place comfortably ahead of Melandri in 12th.

Jonathan Rea was able to dial himself back in to life on a Superbike relatively easily after testing Casey Stoner’s RCV213V earlier in the week. The Honda Superbike man finished in seventh.

Brits Leon Camier and Chaz Davies claimed eighth and ninth places respectively.

Nurburgring – FIM Superbike World Championship – Qualifying 1

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1’55.307
2. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1’55.750
3. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’55.802
4. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’55.813
5. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1’55.828
6. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’55.838
7. Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 1’55.891
8. Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’55.949
9. Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’56.399
10. Lorenzo Zanetti (PATA Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1’56.461
11. Sylvain Guintoli (PATA Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1’56.465
12. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1’56.497
13. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’56.981
14. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 1’57.024
15. Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 1’57.077
16. Niccolò Canepa (Red Devils Roma) Ducati 1098R 1’57.434
17. David Salom (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’57.468
18. John Hopkins (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’57.592
19. Maxime Berger (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1’57.729
20. Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 1’58.286
21. Lorenzo Lanzi (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert) Ducati 1098R 1’59.145
22. Brett McCormick (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1’59.712
23. Alexander Lundh (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’59.763
24. Norino Brignola (Grillini Progea Superbike Team) BMW S1000 RR 2’00.676