From a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

HODGSON (TEAM DUCATI FILA) TAKES OPENING SUPERPOLE AT VALENCIA

Valencia (Spain), Saturday 1 March – Neil Hodgson (Team Ducati Fila) powered the brand-new Ducati 999 to its debut pole position on his first appearance for the factory team, during today’s qualifying sessions for the opening World Superbike round at Valencia, Spain.

Hodgson’s time of 1:34.863 around the 4.005 km Ricardo Tormo circuit earned him the eleventh Superbike pole position of his career and the 29-year-old British rider will line up on the grid for tomorrow’s two races with James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) alongside in second place. The front row was completed by Ducati Fila team-mate Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas).

“So far so good” declared Neil after Superpole, “but I’m not getting carried away because tomorrow is the big day. I’ve got the best ever race set-up I’ve ever had here and I’ve been racing for about thirteen years so I know I’ve got a great feeling with the bike. I seem to have overcome my notorious hatred for this circuit now that I’m on pole, and I actually quite enjoy riding around the place! I’ve got the track dialed, I know all the points, it doesn’t seem like an effort at all to go quick around here. Testing and practice has gone really well so far and I’ve fitted into the team. I had decided I was going to have to deal with everything one round at a time, but I’ve changed my tactics and it’s one session at a time now! So all that I’m thinking about is the morning warm-up and then the races tomorrow.”

“I feel a lot more comfortable on this track this year with the new Ducati 999” commented Ruben. “My Superpole lap time was not so bad but there was a lot of wind everywhere and it pushes you to one side a bit. For me it’s important to win the championship this year, not just do well in Superpole. The season is long and I can’t wait to get started tomorrow. Everything is new this year, a new bike, a new sponsor and a new team-mate. For sure there ‘s pressure at my home circuit, especially with Neil going well. The front of the bike is not working as well as last weekend and that changes my style of riding a bit, but I’m looking forward to racing tomorrow because I’m happy with my set-up on my race tyres.”

STARTING-GRID: 1. Hodgson (Ducati Fila) 1:34.863; 2. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) 1:35.429; 3. Xaus (Ducati Fila) 1:35.827; 4. Corser (Foggy Petronas) 1:35.831; 5. Laconi (Ducati NCR) 1:35.853; 6. Martin (Ducati DFX) 1:35.927; 7. Chili (Ducati PSG-1) 1:36.114; 8. Walker (HM Plant Ducati) 1:36.145; 9. Pedercini (Ducati) 1:36.473; 10. Borja (Ducati DFX) 1:36.974.


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

FABULOUS FRONT ROW FOR TROY

Troy Corser astounded everybody at Valencia today with a superb performance in Superpole and ended up on the front row of the grid. His Superpole lap of 1:35.831 was half-a-second slower then his best in regular qualifying, but most riders didn’t match their previous best times due to strong winds during the afternoon. Troy’s place on the front row was a positive rebuff to all the cynics and doom-merchants who had predicted that he and the new Foggy Petronas FP1 would never even make the grid this year, let alone be competitive. Ahead of Troy on the front row are Ruben Xaus, James Toseland and Superpole winner Neil Hodgson. Toseland was on course for a Superpole win until Hodgson put in the fastest lap of qualifying and took the top spot.

TROY – 4TH, 1:35.831
If anybody would’ve told me that we’d be on the front row six months ago, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s a great testament to all the hard work the team has put in and it’s great to be here. It’s great to be back at a racetrack and racing again, because it feels like a long time since I last was in race action. I’m happy for the whole team and it’s shown the world that not only could we be here, but also that we can be competitive. It’s good to be racing again, it’s great fun and I’ve missed it. It’s been great to get such a good result today and I hope we can have a successful day tomorrow.