FIM Supersport World Championship Magny Cours, France October 6 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR) 1:42.829 2. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR) 1:43.097 3. Kevin CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6) 1:43.765 4. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Hon CBR600RR) 1:44.032 5. Gianluca NANNELLI (Duc 749R) 1:44.170 6. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6) 1:44.273 7. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6) 1:44.277 8. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR) 1:44.367 9. Stephane CHAMBON (Kaw ZX-6RR) 1:44.371 10. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6) 1:44.452 11. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6) 1:44.741 12. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR) 1:44.869 13. Barry VENEMAN (Sux GSX-R600) 1:45.044 14. Kai Borre ANDERSEN (Sux GSX-R600) 1:45.081 15. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR) 1:45.147 26. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6) 1:46.393 More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: CHARPENTIER AND SOFUOGLU FIRST AND SECOND AGAIN Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) made an impressive start to the final round of the year, taking provisional pole with a new track best time of 1’42.829, despite far from ideal early track conditions. In another display of impressive overall team performance, Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) was the second fastest rider, only 0.268 seconds behind Charpentier, despite suffering a crash on his ‘hot’ lap. In third place, Charpentier’s great rival for the overall championship placing, Kevin Curtain, fell towards the end of the session. The morning session, not a qualifying session, was disrupted by an oil spill and the wet weather, which appeared overnight in central France, and threatened to wipe out the first day of action. As the track dried, the times came down, allowing Charpentier to show his best once more. Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager “Another very good start to the weekend here, and we know what we can do at this track. We have to win the race and see what the opposition is doing. We have quite a gap back to the opposition, which is good, but unluckily for Kenan in his hot lap he had to pass a backmarker, who was cruising on the ideal line. So he made a mistake when shifting when he passed him and he had a high side. But he was fighting hard for pole position, like he was at Imola. So I am happy with him. The track conditions make it quite complicated but with the data of today we will work to improve things from here on. Tomorrow, for sure, we will be even faster and stronger.” Sebastien Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (Pole Position Fastest Lap 1’42.829 – 12 Laps) “This morning the session was very strange, and this afternoon everything worked well. The track is very vicious – strange today. But I am happy, because I made a 1’42.8. I didn’t push very hard so this was a nice surprise. I hope tomorrow that there will be an even better track for everyone. I hope my team-mate will be OK for tomorrow and the bike is ready for the race. Tyres we still have to decided because the weather is getting better.” Kenan Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (2nd Position Fastest Lap 1’43.097 – 15 Laps) “I am OK, no real injury, even if I hurt my knee and my hand. I was on a hot lap, faster than my previous best, when I found another rider on the racing line, just cruising. I had to go round the outside to pass, and when I braked and went down the gearbox I must have been distracted, and went down one too many gears. That was enough to get the back end out of line and I high sided. I will be OK for tomorrow, and my times are already fast, so I hope for even more.” More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: Is still the Supersport 749R Ducati to supply the greatsest satisfactions to the team, thanks the zeal of Gianluca Nannelli that ended this first day just behind the riders fighting for the world crown; the Florentine rider aims to record a top result also on this track that has never been between his loved tracks. “I was disappointed that I couldn’t challenge for the victory in Imola.” commented Gianluca Nannelli at the end of qualifying. “This track has been always hard for me, but today the bike was running very well, good traction as well a good handling together with a very good top speed. In race set up I have a good pace and that make me confident for the Sunday’s race, also because we could improve our set up tomorrow. The track, usually quite slippery, in such weather conditions, cold and wet, ask for a great riding attention.” Curious adventure for Stuart Easton during the free practice session, when the Scottish rider has been stopped by black flag for a trasponder trouble that did not allow the correct timekeeping. “When they stopped me I didn’t understand why.” – explained Stuart Easton back at the pit. “But I had problems with the trasponder and the timekeepers weren’t able to record my lap times. Unfortunately Magny Cours è totally new for me and I need to practice to learn it. We still need to work to tune the bike and tomorrow we’ll look for a better result.” Some difficulties for Luka Nedog on a track more difficult for the weather conditions, also if Luka has always improving his confidence with the bike. “This track is quite difficult for me.” said Luka Nedog after afternoon qualifying. “Not only the track is new for me, but today grip conditions weren’t very bad and I wasn’t able to ride at my best. In such conditions I’m also not able to give the correct information to the team to upgrade the setting. I hope that tomorrow the track condition will be better, to improve my performance.”