MacPherson Tops First World Supersport Qualifying Session At Brands Hatch

MacPherson Tops First World Supersport Qualifying Session At Brands Hatch

© 2001, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Categories:

By Glenn LeSanto

Iain MacPherson fired the first shot for the British riders at Brands Hatch today as the weekend’s World Championship motorcycle racing action got off to a sweltering start in the sun. MacPherson got the Fuchs Kawasaki ZX-6R to the top of the timesheet despite some determined riding from Katsuaki Fujiwara on the Alstare GSX-R750 and Pere Riba on the Ten Kate Honda CBR600F4i. Fujiwara was second fastest with Riba in third.

Wild Card rider Karl Harris had led the session in the opening minutes but slipped down the order as the pace got hotter. The heat was obviously
getting to some of the riders, there was a pitlane incident between Fabien Foret and James Whitham. The Ten Kate rider had complained to James Whitham on the track after a strip of spilt oil on the circuit forced Whitham onto the racing line while cruising round on an out lap. Whitham didn’t appreciate Foret’s comments and the pair jostled each other as they entered the pit lane. As the two riders, whose teams are in adjacent garages for the weekend, came to a halt Whitham struck out at Foret. The pair then got into
an ugly brawl and only outside intervention stopped it from getting out of hand.

First Qualifying, World Supersport.
Best Lap Times.

1. Iain MacPherson, GBR, Kawasaki, 1:30.170
2. Katsuaki Fujiwara, JPN, Suzuki, 1:30.184
3. Pere Riba, ESP, Honda, 1:30.332
4. Andrew Pitt, AUS, Kawasaki, 1:30.429
5. Fabrizio Pirovano, ITA, Suzuki, 1:30.476
6. Piergorgio Bontempi, ITA, Yamaha, 1:30.483
7. Paolo Casoli, ITA, Yamaha, 1:30.535
8. Steve Plater, GBR, Kawasaki, 1:30.603
9. Matt Llewellyn, GBR, Yamaha, 1:30.650
10. Karl Harris, GBR, Suzuki, 1:30.734

Latest Posts

Video: MotoGP Safety Car Crashes At Red Bull Grand Prix Of The Americas

In addition to all of the starting grid confusion...

British Superbike: Defending Championship Team Not Racing In 2025

The 2024 British Superbike Championship-winning team has withdrawn from...

Chris Clark Becomes First American To Win An R3 World Cup Race

Chris Clark had a dream start to the 2025...

Video: Stuman Rides The Kawasaki ZX-4RR At Chuckwalla

Former racer and track day instructor Stu Smith rides...

First Person/Opinion: Nick Ienatsch Imagines His Future

Fatal State Fair Accident Provides Insight into Future Motorcyclists Involved...