FIM Supersport World Championship Monza, Italy May 4, 2012 Qualifying Session One (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Sam LOWES, UK (Honda CBR600RR), 1:47.601 2. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Turkey (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:48.038 3. Sheridan MORAIS, South Africa (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:48.419 4. Fabien FORET, France (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:48.696 5. Stefano CRUCIANI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:48.808 6. Roberto TAMBURINI, Italy (Honda CBR600RR), 1:48.817 7. Broc PARKES, Australia (Honda CBR600RR), 1:48.910 8. Matthew SCHOLTZ, South Africa (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.188 9. Massimo ROCCOLI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:49.204 10. Jules CLUZEL, France (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.363 11. Imre TOTH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.453 12. Ronan QUARMBY, South Africa (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.647 13. Luca MARCONI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:49.673 14. Fabio MENGHI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:49.822 15. Vladimir LEONOV, Russia (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:49.880 16. Andrea ANTONELLI, Italy (Honda CBR600RR), 1:49.948 17. Romain LANUSSE, France (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:49.975 18. Mirko GIANSANTI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:50.008 19. Alex BALDOLINI, Italy (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:50.052 20. Ilario DIONISI, Italy (Honda CBR600RR), 1:50.103 26. Josh DAY, USA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:50.553 More, from a press release issued by PTR Honda: PTR HONDA’S Jules Cluzel on his debut visit is learning the fast Monza circuit quickly and is in provisional 10th on the grid for Sunday’s fourth round of the World Supersport Championship in Italy. Ronan Quarmby on the second PTR Honda is just behind his team mate in 12th. Like Jules he did not improve his lap time in the afternoon but tested settings for race distance. Riders PTR Honda’s Martin Jessopp, also on his first visit to Monza, finished 25th but improved from the first session considerably. There are further practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow before the race at 1330CET on Sunday, May 6th. Bogdanka PTR Honda’s Sam Lowes is on provisional pole position – matching the outright fastest lap at the circuit from PTR’s Eugene Laverty in 2010 – with his team mate Mathew Scholtz in eighth. That gives the PTR squad an impressive three riders in the top 10 and four in the top 12. Jules: “I had a clutch problem after five laps and my qualifying was finished which is a shame as I thought I could qualify well. The circuit is really nice and I like it. I was fourth fastest in the morning and I need as much on track time as possible; but anyway we will have tomorrow and I do hope it doesn’t rain, I want to qualify in the top three and think it is possible.” Ronan: “From this morning the bike is completely different. I think there is something wrong and we need to make a change – there were lots of little chassis and handling issues. It feels very different from the bike I raced at Imola so we need to get it back to how I like it. The team is going through the bike now and I hope the rain stays away so we can improve tomorrow.” Martin: “I am a bit annoyed as I had good momentum in the middle of the session and after getting a fresh tyre I couldn’t find anyone to get a slipstream from. After that I was held up on my final lap by a slower rider so I wasn’t able to make any big step improvements. My ideal time is half a second faster than what I have recorded that would put me much further up the grid and shows the potential we have – I think the top 16 is possible in the dry tomorrow. It’s my first time here and I am really liking the track.” Simon Buckmaster, PTR Honda Team Manager: “It is the first time here for Jules and he lost time in qualifying due to a clutch problem but he is right on the pace. I think the front row is realistic for Jules. Ronan struggled in qualifying after a strong morning session and we will work with him to sort his bike issues for tomorrow. Martin was showing good pace in the top 16 mid session with an ideal time much better than he finished with and we will work with him to keep improving.” More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: BOGDANKA PTR HONDA’s Sam Lowes took provisional pole position ahead of the fourth round of the World Supersport Championship at Monza – having also topped the morning free practice at the famous high-speed Italian circuit. Mathew Scholtz on the other Bogdanka PTR Honda took eighth in the opening qualifying on his first visit to Monza and targets more progress tomorrow during the second qualifying session. Bogdanka Honda PTR’s replacement for Pawel Szkopek, UK’s Kieran Clarke, started the weekend in 32nd overall and aims improvements ahead of the Sunday’s race which starts at 13:30CET. Sam Lowes: “I’m happy with today. We worked on the race settings but went out on a soft tyre in the end to put a fast lap in. As for tomorrow, a lot depends on the weather but we worked both with the hard and the soft tyres today, and we’re not far away. We’ll change a few things on the front for tomorrow if it’s dry but it looks like it will be wet so we have to wait and see. Wet or dry, it will be the same for everyone. I’m enjoying Monza and actually find it quite easy to do good laps so I can’t wait for the next two days.” Mathew Scholtz: “Today went really well. It’s my first time here and today was my first day on the track so I was learning my way around but I’m really happy with eighth on the provisional grid. We found a good setup and will only be making a few small changes for tomorrow. I hope to take it from here, keep improving and go faster in the second qualifying. It’s only the first day but Monza is already one of my favourite tracks. It’s fast, flowing and really fun to ride.” Kieran Clarke: “It has been an eventful start to the weekend. Monza is a really nice circuit and it’s been really good to get back on a 600, but it’s been a while since I last rode one. The Bogdanka Honda PTR team did a really good job getting the bike to suit my style and with five more minutes in the afternoon we could’ve gone a good deal faster, but that’s something for tomorrow now. I’m looking for more progress on Saturday and a good starting position for the race. On Sunday my aim is a point scoring position.” Simon Buckmaster, Bogdanka PTR Honda Team Manager: “It’s been a very good first day for both Sam and Mathew. Sam equalled the circuit best and that puts us in a strong position for second qualifying. Mathew on his first visit to Monza is showing impressive form and we will build on that to get him the best race position possible.”