WSB: Rea ups the heat with pole in Qatar

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) set an early leading marker in Superpole 2 but finally won his sixth pole of the season with a record of 1’56.228, set nearer the end of the 15 minute session.

One place back Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) put himself in between the factory Kawasakis, as Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) finished third.

At the long 5.380km Losail circuit the gap between the top three riders was significant, with Sykes 0.835 seconds behind his team-mate Rea.

The first rider on the second row of the first race, to be held later this evening in Qatar, will be Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) in fourth place, with Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) just behind.

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Two rows adrift of his team-mate, Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was seventh fastest, but championship second place challenger Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was only eighth; his team-mate Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) just behind in ninth.

Sylvain Guintoli (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) progressed from SP1 to SP2, and then finished tenth, ahead of Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).

Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) was 18^th and one-off Qatar rider Jeremy Guarnoni (Pedercini Racing Kawasaki) 17^th.

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