Superpole 32 and new track best for Tom Sykes

2013 world champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) won the pre-race Superpole qualifying contest at Motorland Aragon on his KRT machine, making it 32 pole wins in his career and his second top starting position of the year.

His lap of 1’49.374 was a new track best, beating the 1’49.664 set by Leon Haslam and Aprilia last year – an achievement for Sykes considering the cold track temperature of 19°C.

In a surprising Superpole contest all round Superpole 1 qualifier Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) upped his game significantly to go second on the grid, with his British team-mate Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) alongside in third place.

Potential pole man Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth, and on the second row of the grid, while reigning world champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) was fifth fastest. The second works Ducati, from Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was sixth.

Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was a straight Superpole 2 qualifier and went seventh in the final pre-race rankings. Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Guintoli were the duo who exited the first Superpole sector to join the top ten qualifiers in Superpole 2, with Guintoli second and Torres eighth on the final grid. Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati) was the second Spanish rider inside the top nine places at his home race.

Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team) outpaced his team-mate Michael van der Mark (Honda World Superbike Team) for tenth, after VDM crashed going for another fast lap, losing the front after drifting wide on a corner exit.

Lorenzo Savadori (IodaRacing Team Aprilia) was 12^th and the final Superpole qualifier.

Race one, scheduled at 13.00 Spanish time today, will feature 25 riders in all.