By Glenn Le Santo

Australian Adam Fergusson has taken provisional pole with a solid performance in the opening timed qualifying session at the Oschersleben
round of the World Supersport Championship.

Fergusson hasn’t had the best season so far and needs a good result this weekend as the end of the season, and contract renegotiation time approaches. “I need to turn a few heads this
weekend,” admits Fergusson, “otherwise I’ll be out of a job for next season.”

Fegusson currently rides a Honda CBR600F4i for the Alpha Technik Team. The team tested here earlier in the month, Fergusson admitted, telling a reporter, “Testing here has helped me as I’ve never ridden here before so I’ve been able to learn the track before this weekend. Now we are concentrating on getting the settings right for the conditions. There’s not much rubber down so the track’s not as grippy as it was, but as the weekend passes and the rubber gets laid down that should change.”

There was heavy overnight rain, which served to ‘clean’ the track as well as giving the riders the chance to select some wet settings when
they went out for free practice this morning on the still-wet track.

The Ten Kate teamsters, Fabien Foret and Pere Riba, don’t have Fergusson’s job worries. They’ve both already been re-signed to contest next season
aboard the CBR600F4i with the Dutch-based Ten Kate Honda team. “I am very happy to be riding with Ten Kate again next year,” said Riba. “I had some offers from non-factory teams to ride in WSB but I would rather stay here with a team I know where I can ride for wins, rather than have to start again with a privateer Superbike team.”

Foret was also pleased to have his next season
secure already, saying “I can concentrate on my job, which is to win races.”

The two Ten Kate riders get on well together, an advantage for both them and the team. “Working another year with Pere Riba is great, I couldn’t wish for a better colleague,” said Foret. “Pere is the most experienced Honda rider in the Supersport scene, and we work together perfectly.”

Foret and Riba were second and third in the qualifying session, respectively.

Brands Hatch winner Jorg Teuchert struggled in the session. The championship points leader is suffering from an injury he picked up in practice at Brands and can’t wrestle the bike through the final chicanes as hard as he needs to stay on the pace. He finished ninth in the session. His teammate Christian Kellner was fourth with Piergorgio Bontempi in fifth.

Supersport first qualifying
Friday, August 31, best times:

1. Adam Furgusson, Australia, Honda, 1:30.894
2. Fabien Foret, France, Honda, 1:31.005
3. Pere Riba, Spain, Honda, 1:31.128
4. Christian Kellner, Germany, Yamaha, 1:31.265
5. Piergorgio Bontempi, Italy, Yamaha, 1:31.411
6. Andrew Pitt, Australia, Kawasaki, 1:31.520
7. James Whitham, Great Britain, Yamaha, 1:31.613
8. Cristoph Cogan, France, Yamaha, 1:31.688
9. Jorg Teuchert, Germany, Yamaha, 1:31.719
10. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Japan, Suzuki, 1:31.749