FIM Supersport World Championship Brands Hatch, England August 2, 2008 Final Qualifying Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.003 2. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.117 3. Craig JONES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.171 4. Broc PARKES (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.201 5. Karl HARRIS (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.221 6. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.390 7. Robbin HARMS (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.952 8. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:28.498 9. Andrew PITT (Honda CBR600RR), 1:28.519 10. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:28.747 11. Steve PLATER (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:28.950 12. Hudson KENNAUGH (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.025 13. Joan LASCORZ (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.056 14. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.090 15. Russel HOLLAND (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.180 16. Mark AITCHISON (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:29.347 17. Gianluca NANNELLI (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.356 18. David SALOM (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:29.433 19. Vesa KALLIO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:29.560 20. Didier VAN KEYMEULEN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:29.681 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Jonathon Rea just missed out of taking pole at his home event after a fall of rain held back his progress in the final split of his best lap today, leaving him only 0.114 seconds from first place on the grid. He therefore had to rely on his first day lap time for his final place in combined qualifying. Rea has been on form throughout the first two days on his Honda CBR600RR and had it not have been for the changeable conditions today he would have stood a great chance of setting the first sub 1’28 Brands Hatch lap in WSS history. World Championship leader Andrew Pitt improved on his first day time but was another victim of the changeable weather, and proved unable to get a clean run in on a dry track to push himself up the pre-race ranking. He was ninth overall, and now starts from row three of the grid. Jonathon Rea P2, 1m28.117s: It started raining on my fastest lap today, about halfway round so I couldn’t improve on my lap time from yesterday. Another few minutes and we would have been OK. But to get on the front row of the grid was what we wanted most of all. The changeable English weather decided a few things today. Andrew Pitt P9, 1m28.519s: I would have liked to have gone out earlier and take the risk to move up but I went half a second faster than yesterday in traffic, when the rain had just started, and that took me to fifth. We were hoping it would dry off a bit but when I went out it rained again right away. I’m happy with the bike, but the third row is not ideal. I’m confident I can get to the front in the race anyway. Johnny is strong but I think I can get there, because the bike is working well. Ronald ten Kate team manager: I think the weather caught us out, but we are already in pretty good shape for tomorrow. We have done very good laps on race tyres and the race simulation completed by Johnny on Saturday morning was just awesome. We are ready to race, although it is never going to be easy around here. More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Triumph-SC: GOOD PRACTICE DAY FOR PAVEL SZKOPEK AT BRANDS HATCH (Brands Hatch United Kingdom August 2nd, 2008) Finally Pawel Szkopek has been able to practice at Brands Hatch and the Pole recorded a pretty good fastest lap, despite that the rain allowed him just a few qualifying laps. Another difficult day on the contrary for Ruggero Scambia, twice crashed during the morning session. Pawel Szkopek commented: “Finally I could ride without problems and quick in the morning free practice I recorded a good 1’29.867. In my first visit at Brands Hatch, in 2005, I scored 1’31.7, so I increase about two seconds. I started for qualifying confident in a good result and I got an early good lap time, and I was improving lap by lap. Unfortunately after about ten minutes of qualifying time it started a light rain and in several points made their appearance le white flags with diagonal red cross. I’m sure that I could grab a better position on the starting grid, but with such limited time available for a good track there was nothing to do. However I found a good feeling with the Triumph SC 675 and I like this track; I believe I could be able to get a good result in tomorrow’s race.” Disappointed on the contrary Ruggero Scambia; he said: “Actually this circuit is hard for me! During the morning free practice I increased early to 1’32.395, but in ten minutes I felt twice and I lost my confidence. Then in qualifying it started raining and I’ve ben not able to repeat the morning’s lap time.” In 600 Superstock the final qualifying has been declared wet and Robbie Stewart has been clearly not able to increase his grid position recorded yesterday and will start from 34th position. In the second qualifying, with wet track, the young Scot grabbed the 18th fastest. The 600 Superstock race will be run tomorrow, starting at 16,45. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Parkes in the top four as Harris goes fifth fastest Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Team) will make a start from the first row for Sunday’s Brands Hatch World Supersport race after finishing fourth fastest in combined qualifying. His team-mate for the Brands Hatch round, Karl Harris, was a superb fifth in his first WSS race for the team, and has also found what he thinks will be a good set-up for the 23-lap race on Sunday. He was only 0.020 seconds from Parkes today in terms of his best qualifying lap, and only 0.2 seconds from pole. Parkes was finally unable to go for his sixth pole in a row after the British weather caused light showers to fall on and off during the final qualifying session today. Despite this he is confident that the team have found a strong set-up for raceday as he goes for his second 2008 season race win. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) ended up tenth on the grid after only marginally improving his first day time on a track surface which was difficult for even the local riders to read. David Salom (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) moved up to 18th place on his R6, and will start the race from row five. Broc Parkes (4th – 1’28.201 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “Overall that was pretty good but we didn’t have a good clean run in the final session. We went out at the start and it was drizzling rain a little bit, then I put in a bit of a lap time, and then came in. Maybe I should have gone out again right away but we waited to see what would happen. Later in the session when I went out again the rain came back but the bike feels good and we made a lot of progress in the race setting. We did our best lap on our fourth or fifth lap on the same tyre and that is usually a good sign.” Karl Harris (5th – 1’28.221 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “Top five is OK. I was actually up on the first two splits but then on the last part of the lap it started spitting with rain. I didn’t feel I was holding off even then but I just wasn’t doing my usual 100% commitment. But I am happy with fifth, especially as it was a bit of a nightmare in that session, with the weather changing every five minutes. We are making changes on the bike and we are going faster because of them, so I am very happy with the bike and the team. We’ll see how we go tomorrow.” Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team) “The team worked hard on the data overnight to find solutions for Broc’s set-up today, we worked hard and found a race setting we were happy with. For Karl it was less complicated. Both riders improved their times and are very close to pole so we have to be satisfied with that. For the first time in five races we don’t have pole but we are OK because all those poles did not bring us any wins. But we are ready for anything on Sunday and Broc being on the front row is important. If it is wet tomorrow it will be the same for everyone so we’ll wait and see. I don’t think anybody wants to have rain here. But for sure we have to ride, wet or dry – it’s not optional!” David Salom (18th – 1’29.433 -Yamaha Spain) “It was a pity that it started to rain when it did. I had just put in a new tyre and after two laps it started to rain. I had been able to improve my best time from yesterday anyway, and I know I can have a good pace tomorrow in the race.”