FIM Supersport World Championship Donington Park, England September 5, 2008 Provisional Qualifying Results (wet conditions, all on Pirelli tires): 1. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:47.714 2. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:48.190 3. Ivan CLEMENTI (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:48.528 4. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 1:48.846 5. Joan LASCORZ (Honda CBR600RR), 1:48.872 6. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:49.059 7. Andrew PITT (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.155 8. Eugene LAVERTY (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:49.169 9. Chris MARTIN (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:49.326 10. Russel HOLLAND (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.796 11. Pawel SZKOPEK (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:49.925 12. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.963 13. Gianluca NANNELLI (Honda CBR600RR), 1:50.358 14. Miguel PRAIA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:50.639, crash 15. Vesa KALLIO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:50.948, crash 16. Rob FROST (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:51.120 17. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:51.283 18. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:51.333 19. Mark AITCHISON (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:51.703, crash 20. Jesco GÃœNTHER (Honda CBR600RR), 1:51.859 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Jonathan Rea has put his HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR on provisional pole position for Sunday’s tenth round World Supersport race at Donington Park in Great Britain. The 21-year-old Irishman lapped the 4km circuit in 1m47.714s in horrendous conditions in this afternoon’s opening qualifying session. Rea comes to his home circuit on the back of two victories in the last two races and currently holds second position in the championship table, 32 points behind his team-mate Andrew Pitt. In spite of torrential rain and a strong wind, the Australian was seventh after today’s 45-minute qualifying session, but is confident of further improvement tomorrow. Jonathan Rea P1, 1m47.714s It was really difficult in those conditions it was just constant rain and really horrible. We worked towards a good set-up and gearing in better conditions this morning, but it was getting a bit dangerous out there this afternoon. I was very close to the limit and one or two other riders at the front actually went over it and crashed. I just hope we can get some dry weather, especially on Sunday, for all the spectators. Andrew Pitt P7, 1m49.155s We’re not pulling out all the stops yet just trying everything to see what’s going to work best, because it could well be wet for the race on Sunday. It’s not good anywhere out there, and up towards the right-hander at Macleans, we’re just aquaplaning across the track. But I’ve got a good feeling on the bike at the moment, and I don’t want to lose that. We’ll just continue to make small improvements where we can and get closer to the front tomorrow. Ronald ten Kate team manager That was a good performance from both riders because, although the weather is bad, it is the same for everyone. We expect the track to be very slippery when it’s wet here but I am actually surprised by how much grip we have. I’m sure there will be some more progress made tomorrow. Results World Supersport first qualifying: 1 J Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1m47.714s 2 J Brookes (Honda) 1m48.190s 3 I Clementi (Triumph) 1m48.528s 7 A Pitt (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1m49.155s More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Triumph SC: UNDER THE RAIN THE FIRST PRACTICE DAY AT DONINGTON PARK (Donington Park U.K. 2008, September 5) As the five-week summer break in the World Supersport Championship calendar show its tenth round to next weekend at Donington Park. A continuous rain welcomed the riders in their first practice day, making more difficult the approach with the downhill of the track more difficult to learn for the rookies on this circuit. During the morning’s free practice session Pawel Szkopek, substitutes for Garry McCoy, still unfit to race, crashed when he was in 5th position, then in the first qualifying session he recorded the fastest eleven. That the comment of the Poland rider: “Today hasn’t be an easy day with the track flooded, but I’m satisfied. This morning I had a crash while I was in the top position of the practice, but any important damage by luck. During afternoon everything was OK. The machine runs perfectly and the engine look to be rather powerful. As well in wet conditions it’s not easy to have a correct opinion we recorded a top five fast speed. It’s clear that the team has done a good work for engine development also during the summer holydays too.” The rain put in crisis Ruggero Scambia, at his debut on this track: “I actually back in the grid, but there was al lot of water on the track surface and in such conditions I’m not able to learn anything because the track is different lap by lap. I hope in better conditions tomorrow and be able to improve my performance.” A bit disappointed also Robbie Stewart in 600 Superstock, the young Scot ended 21st fastest in qualifying: “Our class practiced when the rain was in his strongest intensity, and in that condition I was with the fastest, the in the second half of the session the track was a bit better and I lost some position. Anyway the bike performs well and for tomorrow I’m confident in a better result.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Wet weather determines all in Supersport practice Atrociously wet weather conditions made early qualifying a miserable experience for most on the first day at Donington Park, with Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) finishing 29th. Parkes has not had much previous experience of Donington Park, having fallen early and broken his collarbone in 2007, and finding the circuit wet from first to last on day one. In his first ever WSS weekend Northern Ireland’s Eugene Laverty had a positive experience, using his track knowledge and feel for the Donington circuit to impress with an eighth fastest time. He now hopes the Saturday practice and qualifying sessions will be dry, in order to get to know his new machine in a different set of track conditions. The team has not yet used the new rider-control electronics package they had hoped to bring to Donington, due to a lack of time to do real world testing, but the system is expected to make its debut in the next round at Vallelunga. In a day in which crashes were easy to come by, Josh Brookes, Massimo Roccoli, Katsuaki Fujiwara and several others also fell on the wet track surface. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) was 17th quickest after an early fall in practice, while David Salom (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) splashed his way to 31st, one place ahead of his team-mate, Jason Crowe. Eugene Laverty (8th – 1’49.169 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “To qualify on the provisional second row was a very good start for us. We made a small change to the rear tyre before my last pitlane exit and that cured the problem I had with the rear tyre moving around and immediately I went faster. In my last lap I was fastest of all in the first split, lost a little on the second split but my visor had steamed up by then, and I made a mistake on braking. Without that, fourth position was possible, but eighth position is near perfect anyway. The last three races I have had here to race it has been wet so I have had a lot of practice, but I want some time to run in the dry to understand the bike in those conditions. The guys in the team have been great and they are really clued up on how these bikes work, so when I give them the information they come up with solutions to the problems.” Broc Parkes (29th – 1’53.802 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “I was a little bit slow to get started this morning but I want to try another bike tomorrow, to compare against today. I have been down the order before and if was 17th or 18th I could maybe think my results were something to do with bad memories of falling last year. But to be 29th it’s definitely something else. So we’ll see how we go tomorrow. I fell as well but I only hurt my right ankle a little bit, so no problems with that.” Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team) “Broc didn’t have any feeling on the rear, and he wanted to have a bit more feel to be able to push on and be up there, but he immediately highsided the thing proving that there is a traction issue. Eugene has fitted in well and is not complaining about anything, and overall he feels more confident on the bike. As a new rider that is unusual, especially in the conditions. We have to remember that Broc had a big crash here last year, and broke his collarbone, so that did not help his times in the morning. Now he is into it and trying so we will check the data and see how things are for tomorrow.” Massimo Roccoli (7th – 1’51.283 seconds – Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) “I was OK this morning until I had a crash with Jason Crowe; the bike was fine but that knocked my confidence a bit. Then in the afternoon qualifying the rain was incredibly heavy and with my set-up I could not go any faster. Tomorrow we will fit a different rear spring if it is wet again, to help us get more rear traction.” More, from a press release issued by Triumph Italia Be1 Racing: Ivan Clementi records the third best time of the first day of qualifying at Donington, tenth round of the World SuperSport Championship. The Italian rider has shown to be constantly quick during all the wet day on the British track. On the contrary Mark Aitchison stays provisionally some places behind; the Aussie rider (19th) chose a careful tactics due to his poor physical conditions and he spent both the sessions to get some feeling with the wet track. Excellent day for the young rider Davide Fanelli in STK600. The ‘baby’ of Be1 Racing ran many quick laps and tomorrow he will get back on his bike with the goal to power to another great performance. IVAN CLEMENTI | Triumph 675 | 3rd provisional time in 1’48.528: “I’ve found immediately a good setting and a good feeling with the track as consequence of it. I have been able to be quick without taking a chance. If it will rain all weekend long I’m sure to be ready to play an attacking game, on the contrary – with a dry track we must ‘erase and rewind’ in order to find another set-up”. MARK AITCHISON | Triumph 675 | 19th provisional time in 1’51.703: “The track was wet and so I chose not to take a chance since that my knee is still not ok. I hope for a better weather tomorrow when the rain should not fall during the afternoon timed session. Anyhow tomorrow will be the decisive day for settling the starting grid”.