World Supersport Championship Round three: Donington Park, UK Saturday 31 March 2007 Qualifying report two Front row start for Sofuoglu at Donington Park World Supersport Championship leader Kenan Sofuoglu will start tomorrow’s 22-lap race at Donington Park from the front row for HANNspree Ten Kate Honda. The young Turkish rider finished second in this morning’s session and then led for most of the afternoon session in cloudy yet sunny conditions at the 4.02km Leicestershire track. Sofuoglu recorded consistent times throughout the second session – setting the fastest lap five times before eventually settling for third position behind Pere Riba and Simone Sanna. His best time of 1.34:382 is more than three seconds inside the existing lap record for the circuit – an impressive feat for the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda rider on his debut race weekend at Donington Park. The series leader is hoping to extend his seven-point lead at the top of the championship standings tomorrow in a weekend that has already brought mixed fortunes for HANNspree Ten Kate Honda. Team-mate and defending champion Sébastien Charpentier did not take part in today’s sessions. He will not compete in tomorrow’s race as a result of injuries sustained in Friday’s practice session. The Frenchman has stretched ligaments and a slight fracture in his pelvis but hopes to be back in action at round four in Valencia, Spain on 15 April. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “Third on the grid is good for Kenan. Of course with Sébastien not here, it has been a bit more difficult because we couldn’t get the usual feedback and data comparisons between the riders. He has done a very good job; it is the first time he has ridden at Donington so to be leading for nearly the entire session is really good. He tried to go for a fast lap right at the end but unfortunately he got held up by some slower riders, which pushed him back to third. We know that Kenan is a racer, not a qualifier so to be on the front row is great. Not having Sébastien around it a setback for the team. The latest news is that his collarbone is fine but he has a very slight fracture at the bottom of the pelvic bone. It is very painful for him but it should heal quite quickly and we are confident that he will be back for Valencia.” Kenan Sofuoglu: “I am feeling OK after today. This morning I took it easy because there were so many crashes during the practice. I was fastest for most of the qualifying session this afternoon – it was just on the last lap that I got caught in traffic and didn’t secure the quick time I had hoped to. I am on the front row though and that is always the main aim. I’m feeling confident about the race and with Curtain, Parkes and my team-mate now out of the running it will feel very different up at the front. I think I have a good chance of finishing on the podium.” Qualifying times: 1. P. Riba, 1’34.066 2. S. Sanna, 1’34.195 3. K. Sofuoglu, 1’34.382 4. B. Veneman, 1’34.470 5. Y. Tiberio, 1’34.609 6. L. Alfonsi, 1’34.670 7. F. Foret, 1’34.737 8. K. Fujiwara, 1’34.953 9. D. Checa, 1’34.959 10. S. Gimbert, 1’35.038 S. Charpentier, DNS