WSB: Outright lap record for polesitter Rea in Thailand

Jonathan Rea set a new track best lap of 1’32.957 – without the aid of a qualifying rear tyre – to take his tenth career Superpole win today. He had earlier become the first rider to crack the 1’32 barrier at the Thai circuit during FP3.

There was no use of Pirelli’s qualifying tyre today after a number were damaged in transit and the replacements sent from Pirelli’s factory in Germany couldn’t make it through Bangkok customs in time, meaning Rea’s record breaking lap would see him 0.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Tom Sykes.  

Third rider to start race one later today is Marco Melandri after finishing half a second from Rea, but his team-mate Chaz Davies was only fifth after falling out of Superpole session at a key time.

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Ahead of Davies, in what is becoming a strong season for the rejuvenated Pata Yamaha official WorldSBK team, was Alex Lowes, now in fourth place for the race one grid. The good news continued for Yamaha when Michael van der Mark pushed himself to sixth place and the back of row two.

Eugene Laverty found some missing pace to start seventh, ahead of Spanish Ducati privateer Xavi Fores and Laverty’s team-mate Lorenzo. The latter rider had to qualify out of Superpole 1 to make it into Superpole 2, which he did alongside Leon Camier.

Camier would be 11^th in Superpole 2, one place behind another faller in Superpole 2, Jordi Torres on the Althea BMW. The last rider on the fourth row will be the other BMW rider in Thailand, Markus Reiterberger.

Nicky Hayden was 14^th overall after Superpole 1 and his team-mate Stefan Bradl placed 16^th. Race one starts at 16.00 local time. 

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