HILL CLAIMS THIRD POLE AS CHASING LAVERTY CRASHES Results Qualifying, top six: 1: Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 48.785s 2: Michael Laverty (Samsung Honda) +0.068s 3: Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +0.329s 4: Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.375s 5: Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +0.487s 6: Noriyuki Haga (Swan Yamaha) +0.727s Report Tommy Hill celebrated his third pole start of the season ahead of the Scottish fifth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Knockhill and the reigning champion is now focussed on trying to repeat his winning double at the Fife circuit last season to regain the lead in the overall standings. Riding the Swan Yamaha, Hill mastered the changing conditions putting in a best lap of 48.785s which was just enough to keep him ahead of Samsung Honda’s Michael Laverty who crashed out at Scotsman Corner in a last lap bid to snatch the top spot in qualifying. Hill, who goes into these races trailing Josh Brookes by a single point, said: “The conditions were tricky and it is always hard to know hard to push on, so I am please to come out on top and now we will have to see how it goes in the races. We’ve been going pretty well in the wet as well as this in the dry but the important thing is that we are at the front.” Laverty, bidding to repeat his Snetterton performance where he took a win and a second place, blamed himself for his crash, explaining: “I was pushing hard, made a few mistakes and tried a bit too hard into the corner it was a silly little crash, losing the front end but I am confident that in the races I can keep the momentum going.” Tyco Suzuki’s Brookes completed the front row on the Tyco Suzuki and said: “I made little mistakes and they put in impressive lap times and I am disappointed with myself but just pleased to be on the front row.” Former two times title winner Shane Byrne starts his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki from the second row alongside Padgett’s Honda rider Ian Lowry and Noriyuki Haga who sensationally bounced back from a crash during the second qualifying session to set sixth best time to complete row two. For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com More, from a press release issued by Swan Yamaha: SWAN YAMAHA’S HILL CLAIMS POLE AS HAGA BOUNCES BACK AT KNOCKHILL Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill claimed his third pole position of the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Knockhill this afternoon as team-mate Noriyuki Haga bounced back from a crash in qualifying one to set a time to start sixth for tomorrow’s opening race. In changing conditions Hill was able to push the Swan Yamaha to celebrate pole position at the Fife circuit for the second consecutive season; the defending champion was able to maintain his position ahead of his title rivals and is fired up for tomorrow’s races. Haga is also in a determined mood and vows to bounce back in the two races after crashing in qualifying one, but he turned it around instantly to top Q2 before claiming sixth on the grid. Hill said: “It was tricky for everyone and I did chicken out a bit in the second session when there were a few spots of rain and took it a bit steady. It is difficult to know how hard to push and Josh was pushing hard at the end so I knew I just had to bite the screen and go for it to get the lap in. It is always hard to judge but the others were pushing hard and with three to a row here it is important to be on the front row. I am happy but not overly confident that the conditions will stay consistent tomorrow but we will be trying to get the Swan Yamaha back on the podium.” Haga said: “I had a big highside in Q1 but my crew were very quick to prepare my Swan Yamaha ready for Q2 and I was able to put my 100% into the two qualifying sessions. I am happy with the sixth position on the grid with the crash and we have a good feeling with the bike so I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I hope that I can have some rest now, make a small change to the rear suspension setting in warm up and be ready for the races tomorrow. I want to thank my Swan Yamaha crew for their work today to qualify on the second row.” For more information visit www.swanyamaha.co.uk More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Tyco Suzuki’s British Superbike Championship leader Josh Brookes will start tomorrow’s fifth round of the British Superbike Championship at Knockhill from third place on the grid after today’s qualifying sessions at the Scottish circuit. The GSX-R1000 Suzuki rider posted a time of 49.114 seconds while team-mate Alastair Seeley made the final Superbike Q3 session to take 10th place with a lap time of 49.724. Josh Brookes: “The first couple of laps of that final session were tricky over the kerbs as they were still wet. The surface was completely dry and I put in my fastest lap of the weekend so far, but riding over those kerbs made me a bit nervous. I’m happy to be on the front row here but also a bit frustrated that I kept making tiny mistakes, which stopped me from stringing a perfect lap together. In saying that, I’m not sure if I would have gone faster than the two men in front of me. “In both the wet and dry I’m confident and we’re improving our set-up all the time and I’m getting good feedback from the bike where the grip is – so yeah we’re ready for tomorrow now.” Knockhill BSB Qualifying Results: 1 Tommy Hill [Yamaha] 48.785sec, 2 Michael Laverty [Honda] 48.853, 3 Josh Brookes [Tyco Suzuki] 49.114, 4 Shane Byrne [Kawasaki] 49.160, 5 Ian Lowry [Honda] 49.272, 6 Nori Haga [Yamaha] 49.512, 7 Graeme Gowland [Honda] 49.530, 8 Tommy Bridewell [BMW] 49.553, 9 James Westmoreland [Honda] 49.691, 10 Alastair Seeley [Tyco Suzuki] 49.724.