FIM Supersport World Championship Phillip Island, Australia February 25, 2011 Qualifying Session One Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Fabien FORET, France (Honda CBR600RR), 1:34.091 2. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:34.166 3. Sam LOWES, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:34.875 4. Chaz DAVIES, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:35.065 5. Roberto TAMBURINI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:35.203 6. Luca SCASSA, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:35.236 7. Broc PARKES, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:35.297 8. Florian MARINO, France (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.335 9. James ELLISON, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.480 10. Robbin HARMS, Denmark (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.563 11. Gino REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.576 12. Miguel PRAIA, Portugal (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.953 13. Pawel SZKOPEK, Poland (Honda CBR600RR), 1:35.968 14. Massimo ROCCOLI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:36.026 15. Vladimir IVANOV, Ukraine (Honda CBR600RR), 1:36.048 16. Ronan QUARMBY, South Africa (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:36.168 17. Danilo DELL’OMO, Italy (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:36.273 18. Ondrej JEZEK, Czech Republic (Honda CBR600RR), 1:36.682 19. Vittorio IANNUZZO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:36.826 20. Bastien CHESAUX, Switzerland (Honda CBR600RR), 1:36.863 21. Imre TOTH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), 1:37.666 22. Alexander LUNDH, Sweden (Honda CBR600RR), 1:37.809 23. Mitchell PIROTTA, Australia (Honda CBR600RR), 1:38.770 24. Marko JERMAN, Slovakia (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:39.030 25. Luca MARCONI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:39.343 26. Balasz NEMETH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), 1:39.479 More, from a press release issued by Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Fabien Foret continued his domination of Phillip Island in Australia today by setting the fastest time in this afternoon’s first qualifying session for Sunday’s World Supersport championship opener. Foret was also fastest after the two-day official test earlier this week and opened the 2011 season this morning by going fastest in free practice. However, with new World Supersport regulations restricting each rider to one bike, the French rider almost didn’t put in a qualifying time at all after crashing on his first lap of the session at the tight MG corner. He managed to bring his Honda CBR600RR back to the pits where his crew spent 25 minutes re-building the machine. Foret’s young Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, Florian Marino, also impressed in this afternoon’s qualifying, setting the eighth fastest time for a provisional second row start. The 17-year-old from Cannes in southern France is making his debut as a permanent World Supersport championship rider and this is his first visit to the demanding 4.5km Phillip Island circuit. Fabien Foret P1 I made a little mistake on my first lap this afternoon I was already on a fast lap but I think I was a little bit too hot. Tomorrow I will concentrate more and not make this kind of silly mistake. The bike is working OK, but in my opinion it was working a little better in the cooler conditions this morning. So we’ll try to adjust a little bit tomorrow for warmer conditions and then we’ll be close to being ready for the race. I think we can say that, with the new rules, my guys passed the test today, so thanks to them for that! Florian Marino P8 I’m still a little disappointed because I think I could have gone faster, but on my fast lap I got held up by s ome slower riders. I had the problem for two or three laps and then my tyres had passed their best. I have improved the consistent lap time though, so I am happy about that. I suppose that the second row is not too bad and my ideal time is three tenths faster. We still have some work to do in the final sector where there is still a bit of movement at the rear and it’ll be even better when we find a solution. Ronald ten Kate team manager It was a really positive start to the season for both riders today. After the testing we’ve done here we knew that Fabien’s pace was very fast, but he still has to go out there and do it. He had a small off at the beginning of the session when he was a bit over-enthusiastic about things, but he got that out of the way and the boys worked really hard to get the bike ready again for him. The one-bike rule makes things a bit more complicated in cases of a crash but they di d a really good job. Florian’s result is maybe even more outstanding, though. For a 17-year-old on his first time at Phillip Island, it’s very good to finish where he did. He was held up on his fastest lap, too, so there’s even more to come from him. There’s still some work to do tomorrow, but it’s a positive start so happy faces so far. More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: PARKALGAR HONDA’S Sam Lowes and Miguel Praia continued to improve their set-up and lap times from the recent test to claim third and 12th in the opening qualifying session of the season at Phillip Island in Australia. There is another practice and qualifying session tomorrow before the race takes place at 1330 local time on Sunday, 27th February. Sam: “It’s great that I am third after first qualifying and that I have gone faster than in testing here earlier in the week. As I am learning the track I am getting to grips with it and now there are only two corners that I need to find some more time from compared to Eugene’s data from last year. We know what we need to do and will be onit tomorrow things are looking good.” Miguel: “I was not as fast in the afternoon as the morning as the grip level went down. In the morning I was happy and in the afternoon I tried to make long runs concentrating on race distance. I couldn’t make the same lap time in qualifying but I am quite pleased doing 35s that is just half a second away from my fastest lap here. There is a lot of work to do still, I want more feedback from my Parkalgar Honda and we will try different set-ups with more weight on the rear for grip. I want to start on the second row.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “It’s been a really good day for Sam, he is losing the majority of his time in the last two corners and will work on that. First time here he’s got podium potential. “Miguel is on the third row and to needs to try and improve that. Certainly it is an improved performance over testing. He’s more comfortable on the bike and moving in the right direction and we are looking to move up the grid tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: Ellison on the pace after surgery BOGDANKA PTR Honda’s James Ellison shrugged off the effects of Wednesday’s keyhole surgery on his left knee to claim ninth in the first qualifying session for the opening round of the World Supersport Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. Pawel Szkopek was 13th on his Bogdanka PTR Honda just 1.8 seconds from provisional pole man Fabien Foret with one more practice and qualifying tomorrow ahead of the Sunday’s race. James Ellison: “I’m still in some pain following my operation but it was definitely a good idea to do it as I’m feeling a lot better than during the test. We can improve the balance of the bike a little bit which is the plan for tomorrow but both the bike and myself have the potential to be on the front row. You need a good start here so we’ll do our best.” Pawel Szkopek: “I’m very happy about today. The team helped me to find a setup that works well for me and we’re going in the right direction. It was difficult to improve the morning times during the qualifying because the track was hotter and had less grip so I’m very happy about going underneath 1:36. My starting position is very good right now and I’m looking forward to improving more.” Simon Buckmaster: “We’re finding a better bike setting for Pawel which is within the operating window of the machine and he’s starting to get to grips with that. It’s a learning experience for him and for us to understand his needs but it’s coming together. He did a 1:35.9 and was consistent so we’re getting there. James has recovered well from surgery. He had a few minor issues today but we got it sorted and he’s looking in a good shape for tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha ParkinGO Team: A great start for Yamaha ParkinGO Team　 Chaz Davies and Luca Scassa begin with the right foot closing the first practice day respectively at the fourth and sixth place, confirming their willing to be major protagonists since the first round of the season. A result got thanks to the great team work, that progressively improved the motorbike-settings since the beginning of the week. Despite the track became slower due to the rising temperature, Davies got a time-improvement of 8tenths while Scassa expressed himself on the same level. The two riders will try to confirm themselves if not aim to a better result tomorrow, aiming to gain a starting grid that allows to run a race fighting for the first positions. Chaz Davies – Yamaha YZF R6 #7 – ” I’m really happy, the team worked hard to get a more precise curves running compared the beginning of this week.The feeling with the track and with the motorbike is growning but I’m sure to be able to improve myself and get a little less “nervous” YZF R6. The goal is to confirm a first row starting position tomorrow. Luca Scassa – Yamaha YZF R6 #99 – We worked on the base-setting and already getting a very good level. Today, I didn’t fully paid attention to score the better-time because the starting grid has to be decided tomorrow. So, I just preferred to keep myself concentrate on the motorbike’s settings to get a vehicle with which to aim at the first positions”. More, from a press release issued by Gino Rea’s publicist: Gino Rea suffers injury on first day at Phillip Island Gino has crashed in the first qualifying session at Phillip Island and torn tendons in his thumb. Although this doesn’t sound too bad, it needs an operation to give back movement in the thumb. Gino will try to ride tomorrow to see how it is on the bike but will need an operation after this weekend. The question is when to operate, if it is operated on Monday after the race, there could be risk of missing the Donnington round on 25th March. The thumb needs to be in hyperextension to recover the tendons which could take up to 40 days. If it is not operated on Monday, Gino may have to wait until there is a long enough break in the season to have the surgery and recover. Gino had set his fastest laptime before the crash but was bumped down to 11th for the provisional grid position. Tomorrow there is free practice in the morning and final qualifying in the afternoon. Gino commented: “I’m frustrated as you can imagine. We have worked hard to get things to where we are and I was feeling good. I will try to ride tomorrow, I need to go faster in the qualifying as 11th on the grid in not where we should be. Although the time are very close and I know we could have gone quicker. We will see what happens tomorrow. On Monday we will see a hand surgeon and decide when to have the thumb operated on. I really don’t want to miss Donnington.”