FIM Supersport World Championship

Imola Circuit

Imola, Italy

May 12, 2018

Superpole Qualifying Results (all on Pirelli tires):

From Superpole Two:

1. Lucas Mahias, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:53.042

2. Jules Cluzel, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:54.027

3. Kenan Sofuoglu, Turkey (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:54.671

4. Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam YZF-R6), 1:54.949

5. Rob Hartog, Netherlands (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:58.701

6. Luke Stapleford, UK (Tri Daytona 675R), 1:59.495

7. Massimo Roccoli, Italy (Yam YZF-R6), 1:59.607

8. Hikari Okubo, Japan (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:59.814

9. Sandro Cortese, Germany (Yam YZF-R6), 2:00.028

10. Raffaele De Rosa, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 2:00.581

11. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Yam YZF-R6), 2:03.768

12. Ayrton Badovini, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 2:09.866

WorldSSP: Mahias beats downpour to take WorldSSP Superpole

French one-two at Imola, with Sofuoglu scoring final front row start

Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) made the most out of his one attempt at a dry lap to take his third Superpole of the FIM Supersport World Championship. After sunshine all throughout the day at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, the rain conditioned the second qualifying session, shuffling the starting grid for tomorrow.

The first drops fell at the tail-end of Superpole 1, with Massimo Roccoli (G.A.S. Racing Team) and Rob Hartog (Team Hartog – Against Cancer) making the best of the still-dry conditions. By the time the twelve best men came out on track, it quickly became a race to record a lap before the conditions worsened. Those who pushed early hit the jackpot – while the first four rode in 1’53 and 1’54s, from fifth backwards no rider made it under 1’58.701.

Second behind Mahias was Jules Cluzel (NRT), continuing his good form from Assen. The front row will be completed tomorrow with Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Despite coming in with little preparation or training in 2018, the WorldSSP legend will be in a prime position to finish his career in the best way possible.

The good news for Mahias didn’t stop here, as his two closest contenders for the championship finished the session at the other end of the standings. Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing) will start from ninth tomorrow, while Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) will have to command another fight from the back as he starts from eleventh.

Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) will start from the front of the second row, in fourth. Hartog took advantage of the conditions to make it in in fifth place, by far the best rider competing in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup. Sixth was Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing), while Roccoli finished the session with the seventh fastest time.

Pole Position: Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team)

“I am very happy with this pole position. It’s like in endurance racing, you have one or two laps to push and after the rain it’s tough. I was in the front and when I entered the corner, but I didn’t know if it was wet or dry. In my head I had one chance, and tomorrow I hope for better condition for the race and I am confident and will work a lot with the team.”

More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:

 Sofuoglu Qualifies With A Final Front Row Flourish

Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) overcame the slippery conditions in the second WorldSSP Superpole qualifying session at Imola to record the third best overall time and take a front row start on his farewell weekend. Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was eighth fastest qualifier in Superpole 2, equalling his best grid placing of the year.

Five times FIM Supersport World Championship Kenan Sofuoglu put in a typically competitive performance in his final Superpole qualifying session before retirement, while scoring his 101st career front row starting place.

Despite not being at anything like full race fitness, and still recovering completely from long term pelvic injury, Sofuoglu surprised even himself to finish the Friday qualifying sessions in fifth place. He was even happier to have taken a front row starting place on his final competitive racing weekend.

Without the possibility of a pre-race preparation and training regime, Sofuoglu is unsure of how the race will develop for him on Sunday but he will be out to finish his peerless WorldSSP career with a strong performance.

For Okubo, Imola has delivered a relatively successful weekend so far as he lines up inside the top three rows for raceday, despite the treacherous and slippery conditions that affected Superpole 2.

The WorldSSP race on Sunday is scheduled for 17 laps of the 4.936km long Imola circuit, and is due to start at 11.30am local time.

Kenan Sofuoglu stated: “I did not expect this front row, so I am very happy. Since the Australian round I had no training, no time on the bike, and no conditioning for the race. To get into the front row is like a big gift for me in my final race. I am not here to win, or to show something, I am just here to say goodbye to everyone, to my championship and to my career. I do not care anything about tomorrow but it was nice to be on the front row today.”

Hikari Okubo, stated: “The first day was not so bad for lap times and I got into Superpole 2, but finally I crashed in the final chicane. Today, in Superpole, there were very difficult conditions because the rain came and it was quite slippy. I did not want to crash again so I could not push hard, not at 100%. But I qualified eighth, which is still my equal best qualifying position. I like this track so I hope I can make a good race on Sunday and try to get on the podium.”

ESS Rider, Rob Hartog (Team Hartog Against Cancer) went from Superpole 1 to Superpole 2 and then fifth overall in Superpole 2. He was the second fastest Kawasaki rider, after the amazing return of Sofuoglu to the front row.

Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) qualified in 17th place today, with Wayne Tessels (Chromeburner Wayne’s Racingteam MTM) 25th, Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) 26th and Michael Canducci (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) 27th.

ESS rider Peter Sebestyen (SSP Hungary Team) placed 28th on the grid, and Javier Ezequiel Iturrioz (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) 31st.