Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn LeSanto

We’re in the middle of a silly season here at Brands hatch, with riders and teams already negotiating next year’s contracts. But despite all manner of rumours flying around Stephane Chambon climbed on his bike and just got on
with his job ­ going faster than everyone else.

Chambon climbed to the top of the timesheet and stayed there, putting him on provisional pole ahead of Saturday’s final qualifying session.

Various riders tried to topple Chambon off the head of the grid, but none of them could budge him. Instead they all scrapped over second place, with Fabien Foret and Paolo Casoli both occupying provisional second on the grid before Christophe Cogan came along to make second on the grid his ­for today at least. Casoli ended the session in third, the lone Italian in an otherwise all-French front row after Foret nabbed provisional fourth.

British rider James Whitham is provisional fifth in front of Katsuaki Fujiwara. Scotland’s Iain MacPherson is seventh with reigning champion Andrew Pitt taking the final place on the provisional second row.

Friday World Supersport Qualifying Times:

1. Stéphane Chambon, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:29.473
2. Christophe Cogan, Honda CBR600F, 1:29.803
3. Paolo Casoli, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:29.838
4. Fabien Foret, Honda CBR600F, 1:30.098
5. James Whitham, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.202
6. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:30.216
7. Iain MacPherson, Honda CBR600F, 1:30.238
8. Andrew Pitt, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:30.325
9. Stefano Cruciani, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.525
10. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR600F, 1:30.527
11. Kevin Curtain, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.544
12. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.615
13. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600F, 1:30.798
14. Werner Daemen, Honda CBR600F, 1:30.859
15. Jörg Teuchert, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.902
16. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Ducati 748R, 1:30.937
17. Antonio Carlacci, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:30.975
18. Alessio Corradi, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.032
19. Robert Frost, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.140
20. Sebastien Charpentier, Honda CBR600F, 1:31.266
21. Stuart Easton, Ducati 748R, 1:31.339
22. Matthieu Lagrive, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:31.518
23. James Ellison, Kawasaki ZX-6R, 1:31.916
24. Scott Smart, Honda CBR600F, 1:31.987
25. John McGuinness, Honda CBR600F, 1:32.245
26. Nigel Arnold, Honda CBR600F, 1:32.481
27. Claudio Cipriani, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:32.888
28. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 748R, 1:34.017