FIM Supersport World Championship Magny Cours, France September 30 Qualifying Session One (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Massimo ROCCOLI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:41.498 2. Broc PARKES, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:42.060 3. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:42.148 4. Luca SCASSA, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:42.247 5. Fabien FORET, France (Honda CBR600RR), 1:42.384 6. Sam LOWES, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:42.519 7. Florian MARINO, France (Honda CBR600RR), 1:42.644 8. Chaz DAVIES, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:42.662 9. Roberto TAMBURINI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:42.680 10. Gino REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:43.127 More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: PARKALGAR HONDA’S Sam Lowes set the sixth fastest time in first qualification for Sunday’s 11th and penultimate round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France. Miguel Praia is 18th and will be working with his crew this evening to make improvements so he can climb up the time sheets tomorrow. There are further practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow before the race starts at 1330CET on Sunday 2nd October. Sam: “I am really happy and positive. I did loads of laps and was very consistent. I am not far off the pace and there is so much to come from me I am confident for tomorrow. Through just three corners I can make the time up and there is more to come from the bike. I am really happy despite only being sixth. I can’t wait to be getting back on it, there is lots of room for improvement.” Miguel: “My lap times are similar to my fastest last year already but I am only 18th! In the morning and qualifying we were testing tyres for race distance. This afternoon’s qualifying session was the only one at the same time of the day as the race on Sunday so we used it to tyre test. I want to improve the set up overnight for changing direction and then we can attack the lap time tomorrow.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “There is a bit of work to do for Sam but he can find time within himself and some with the bike. We are confident we can get him to race challenging pace. “Miguel is already as fast as last year and has done some long runs at the cost of his one lap pace. We are looking forward to improving his grid position tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: BOGDANKA PTR HONDA’S James Ellison is 11th on the provisional grid for Sunday’s 11th and penultimate round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France – but he is sure he can improve dramatically. Bogdanka PTR Honda’s Pawel Szkopek crashed out of a promising 8th place, ending up 14th. He will be looking to improve tomorrow in final qualifying before the race starts at 1330CET on Sunday 2nd October. James: “Early on we were at the sharp end in both sessions but towards the end we didn’t have the last little bit of speed. We had kept the bike same as Imola which is the window within where it works but we need slightly softer springs as it was sitting high – it is not as steep here as Imola. That was only noticeable when going for the last few tenths on the fast laps so we will get it sorted for tomorrow. I am fairly confident; I have a good feeling for the bike and there is room for improvement.” Pawel: “I am happy to be in 14th and showing good pace but not so happy at crashing again. I was on the second row when I crashed and it lost me track time. I think I can go well here so I will regroup and try again tomorrow, I like Magny Cours.” Simon Buckmaster, Bogdanka PTR Honda Team Manager: “Pawel was up to eighth before crashing and ended 14th. He needs to calm down and be more consistent and reduce the amount of mistakes. “Although James is only 11th he is riding well and improving all the time. I’m sure he’ll be on the front two rows for the race and challenging at the front.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha ParkinGO Team: Yamaha ParkinGO Team has started the preparation for Sunday’s race that could give Chaz Davies the Supersport Title. The Team owned by Giuliano Rovelli concluded the first day of official qualifying with Luca Scassa in fourth place and Chaz Davies on eighth. Two sessions used to get the best set up for tomorrow’s final qualifying when the times will improve and the starting grid will be decided. At the ParkinGO Yamaha box there is constant concentration and determination. Both riders know their own potential and they are convinced to have still a wide margin to improve their times to achieve front row tomorrow. Chaz Davies – Yamaha YZF R6 #7 – “Today I couldn’t do the whole session due to a technical problem. I haven’t done too many laps but slowly I have improved my time. The bike is feeling good, I only need tomorrow morning more track time to find the right set up for the afternoon qualifying.” Luca Scassa – Yamaha YZF R6 #9 – “We have to work still on the front of the bike, as it still doesn’t feel right on the corners. Once this problem is solved I will be able to get faster times. My goal is to achieve front row and fight for the victory on Sunday as I wanted to do in Imola before the technical problem on the bike.” More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: World Supersport Three Kawasakis took the top three slots at the end of the first WSS qualifying session, with the best time of 1 minute 41.498 seconds going to Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni). The Italian was a full half-second clear of the factory machines of Broc Parkes and David Salom (Motocard.com). Fourth place went to Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) followed by Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). Championship leader Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) is currently lying eighth behind two more Hondas of Sam Lowes (Parkalgar) and young Frenchman Florian Marino (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). Times: 1. Roccoli M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’41.498; 2. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’42.060; 3. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’42.148; 4. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.247; 5. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’42.384; 6. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’42.519; 7. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’42.644; 8. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.662; etc. More, from a press release issued by Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: Hannspree riders on provisional second row Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, Fabien Foret and Florian Marino, both took provisional front row starts for Sunday’s 11th round World Supersport race at Magny-Cours in France by setting the fifth and seventh-fastest times respectively in this afternoon’s first qualifying. Foret, who provided the team with a remarkable victory at Imola last Sunday, lapped the 4.411km Magny-Cours circuit just three tenths faster than his CBR600RR-mounted team-mate and compatriot , Marino, as Italian Massimo Roccoli took provisional pole position. Both Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, who hail from Angouleme (Foret) and Cannes (Marino) in France are determined to deliver good results at their home World Supersport round on Sunday, with Foret aiming to keep the title chase alive until the final round at Portimao on 16 October. Fabien Foret P5 1m42.384s The session started quite slowly today and we stru ggled a little to find the right balance with the bike, especially this afternoon when it was a lot warmer than this morning. We tried a few different things and, just at the end of the session, we managed to find the right direction. But it’s not good enough yet and tomorrow we must work hard to find the last piece of the puzzle. It’s not too bad now, but I can’t quite push at 100% yet, and anyway, the race is not until Sunday! Florian Marino P7 1m48.644s It was not so good today and I didn’t really start with a good feeling this morning. We were not able to find it this afternoon so I could not really ride the way I want to. The bike felt quite heavy and it was difficult to hold the line. Also, I have some braking and rear grip problems, so there is a lot to work on for tomorrow. At the end, with a softer tyre, it felt a little better but we’ll look for a better solution tomorrow. Ronald ten Kate team manager Well it hasn’t started as we’d like and there are certainly a few issues with the bike that we need to address. Towards the end of this afternoon’s session we started to make things work a little better so I’m sure we can make another step forward tomorrow.