FIM Supersport World Championship Brno, Czech Republic July 21 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Kevin CURTAIN (Yam YZF-R6) 2:06.407 2. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6) 2:06.556 3. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.736 4. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.863 5. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.906 6. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR) 2:06.979 7. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.034 8. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07176 9. Christian ZAISER (Duc 749R) 2:07.188 10. Barry VENEMAN (Sux GSX-R600) 2:07.407 11. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.408 12. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.476 13. Gregory LEBLANC (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.672 14. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR) 2:07.720 15. Mauro SANCHINI (Yam YZF-R6) 2:07.733 More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: SOFUOGLU AND CHARPENTIER MAKE BRIGHTS STARTS AT SUNNY BRNO In his comeback ride after suffering recent pelvic and shoulder injuries, Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) went fifth fastest in the opening qualifying session at Brno, one place behind his on-form team-mate, Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda). Hot ambient and track temperatures made the 45-minute session hard for all involved, but the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team nevertheless made a satisfactory start overall, with one more qualifying session left in which to improve times still further. Charpentier was injured in a testing crash at this very circuit, but showed little fear as he eased himself back into the role of racer, after missing the previous round at Misano. Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager “Quite a good start to the weekend really, and it’s good to have Sebastien back and immediately near the top of the time-sheets again. We need to take it step-by-step with him over the weekend, and try to build confidence, and the most important thing for us is to build points from here. We have enjoyed it to see him in the position he is in now and I’m sure he will improve even more tomorrow. It’s also good to have Kenan so far up the sheets, because he is normally a slower starter on the weekend. For tomorrow we will have to work as hard as possible to make the bikes better and to make life easier for the riders around this track. It is going to be very hot on Sunday, as we know. We’ll be studying the race set-ups we tried today very closely, to get the perfect bike for the guys to ride on Sunday.” Sebastien Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (5th position – 2’06.906) “It wasn’t so easy because for over a month I have not been near a bike, after having to suffer a big five hour operation, so it has not been easy for my body. There is no pain but the muscles in my back have perished through lack of use, and they are vital for changing direction. The afternoon was better than the morning for me, and it will only get better all weekend. It’s nice to come back to the team, I like and respect everyone involved and it is good to be working with them again. The new front Pirelli is good so I feel positive, confident for the future, because after this we have two weeks until Brands. I think it was possible for me to have set a 2’06.5 this afternoon, except for the traffic.” Kenan Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (4th position – 2.06.863) “A not so bad start and I did do a test here last month so we have a lot of information from there. That is very good for me because every time I got to a new track I first have to learn everything from zero again. Today was OK but tomorrow I will have to do even more. I want to start from the front row so tomorrow I will do everything possible to make sure I do.” FIRST QUALIFYING: 1. Curtain – Yamaha – 2’06.407 2. Parkes – Yamaha – 2’06.556 3. Sanna – Honda – 2’06.736 4. Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 2’06.863 5. Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda – 2’06.906 More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha Motor Germany pair fastest in first Brno practice Yamaha Motor Germany riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes topped the timesheets in this afternoon’s first qualifying session at Brno. The Australian YZF-R6 riders were able to take advantage of three days testing at the Czech venue last month and, just as at the test, it was Curtain who ended the day as the fastest rider – one tenth of a second ahead of his team-mate. Both riders were fractionally slower than the times they achieved in testing, Curtain’s best of 2:06.407 comparing to a 2:06.0 set last month, with the hot conditions responsible for a reduction in grip levels. Third fastest in today’s first qualifying session was Italian Simone Sanna (Honda), with Turkish rider Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda) completing the provisional front row. Misano winner Massimo Roccoli ended the day eighth on his Yamaha Team Italia YZF-R6, with Yamaha GMT94’s David Checa 11th and Gianluca Vizziello 12th on the second Yamaha Team Italia entry.