Cluzel ahead of shaken up first day qualifying order

A remarkable opening day of WSS qualifying placed regular championship contender Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) into first place on the time sheets but a 16-year-old ESS rider, Axel Bassani (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) was second, only 0.082 seconds behind Cluzel.

In 2016 the defunct Superstock 600 European Championship has morphed into the ESS class-within-a-class, running inside the overall WSS grid at the European races on the calendar. Machine specifications are identical in each case, but there are a few ‘part-time’ riders like Bassani at the European rounds only, competing for points in two classes – WorldSSP and ESS.

The second factory MV rider, Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) slotted into third place in the combined times. The experienced Roberto Rolfo (Team Factory Vamag MV Agusta) was fourth today, and another young ECC rider, Alessandro Zaccone (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki) was a fighting fifth. He was one place ahead of regular rider Christian Gamarino (Team GOELEVEN Kawasaki).

MV Agusta had a great day with there bikes inside the top four, but Kawasaki also had a good day, with five of the top eight riders. Their two lead riders in the official team, Kenan Sofuoglu and Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) were only seventh and eighth, however.

PJ Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport Team) ended his day ninth and first Honda rider home. Gino Rea (GRT Racing Team MV Agusta) was the final rider inside the top ten. A whopping 34 riders qualified for Superpole 1 or 2, to be held on Saturday.