Sepang: Guintoli takes second pole of the campaign

After leading through free practice for the entire weekend, Sylvain Guintoli became the first rider to score two superpole wins for the 2014 season with a blistering qualifying display at Sepang.

Although there was a late push from Kawasaki man Tom Sykes and Ducati’s Davide Giugliano  – who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively – it is the Aprilia man who now goes into race day as the firm favourite, having never failed to lose the lead on the timesheets for the entire session.

Elsewhere on track, Syke’s teammate, Loris Baz could only manage a second row start finishing sixth on the sheets, having slipped on the final corner of a rapid run which would potentially have seen him grabbing pole from his compatriot. Alex Lowes put in a solid display to make it through SP1 and to sit his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki in 9th but it was a disappointing run for Marco Melandri on his Aprilia, who couldn’t carry his matching of Guintoli’s pace from free practice into the final superpole session and saw his weekend’s efforts so far culminate in a 5th place start for the first of tomorrow’s races.

 

 

1 (50) S. GUINTOLI FRA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’03.002
2 (1) T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’03.108
3 (34) D. GIUGLIANO ITA Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2’03.137
4 (24) T. ELIAS ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’03.160
5 (33) M. MELANDRI ITA Aprilia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’03.971
6 (76) L. BAZ FRA Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 2’04.027
7 (58) E. LAVERTY IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’04.263
8 (7) C. DAVIES GBR Ducati Superbike Team Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2’04.343
9 (22) A. LOWES GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 2’04.433
10 (65) J. REA GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.514
11 (91) L. HASLAM GBR PATA Honda World Superbike Honda CBR1000RR 2’05.202
12 (44) D. SALOM ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R EVO 2’06.388