FIM Supersport World Championship Nurburgring, Germany September 2 Provisional Qualifying Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Sam LOWES, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 1:59.771 2. Chaz DAVIES, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:00.305 3. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2:00.522 4. Robbin HARMS, Denmark (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.974 5. Florian MARINO, France (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.990 6. Broc PARKES, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2:01.011 7. Fabien FORET, France (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.096 8. Gino REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.104 9. James ELLISON, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.119 10. Massimo ROCCOLI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2:01.197 11. Luca SCASSA, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:01.236 12. Imre TOTH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.984 13. Ronan QUARMBY, South Africa (Triumph Daytona 675), 2:02.021 14. Marc MOSER, Germany (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:02.311 15. Miguel PRAIA, Portugal (Honda CBR600RR), 2:02.480 16. Balazs NEMETH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), 2:02.487 17. Alexander LUNDH, Sweden (Honda CBR600RR), 2:02.551 18. Vittorio IANNUZZO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2:02.640 19. Patrik VOSTÁREK, Czech Republic (Honda CBR600RR), 2:02.781 20. Pawel SZKOPEK, Poland (Honda CBR600RR), 2:03.041 More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: Sam dominates first day at the Nurburgring PARKALGAR HONDA’S Sam Lowes was fastest in the morning wet practice by nearly three seconds and then took a convincing provisional pole position in the dry afternoon more than half a second faster than anyone else at the ninth round of the World Supersport Championship at the Nurburgring in Germany. Miguel Praia is 15th on the provisional grid and looking to make big improvements – he needs a top 10 start position to give him the best chance of achieving a top six result in the race. There are more practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow before the race takes place at 1330CET on Sunday, September 4th. Sam: “This morning was mega. The Nurburgring is a track I like but don’t know that well. This morning we made changes and got my Parkalgar Honda working good and finished up nearly three seconds faster which is positive as it might be wet on Sunday. This afternoon we tried a few bits and managed two decent laps. Definitely there is a lot more to come from me and the bike. We have a decent pace but it is not perfect and that’s what we are working on now.” Miguel: “It was a difficult day as it has been a long time without riding – five weeks. I am feeling confident but had some issues with turning into corners that held me back. I was also held up on my fastest lap. We have already identified and fixed the cornering issue and I have a lot of motivation for tomorrow and think we can naturally compete for the top 10 on the grid.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “Sam has had a good day and is improving all the time. He’s got positive momentum and there is more to come from him and his bike. “Miguel was held up on his best lap and could have been 12th on ideal times. He is going in the right direction and with some adjustments he should challenge for the top 10 in final qualifying.” More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: Strong start for Ellison and Szkopek BOGDANKA PTR HONDA’s James Ellison made a strong start to the weekend provisionally qualifying in ninth position ahead of Sunday’s round nine of the World Supersport Championship. His Polish teammate, Pawel Szkopek finished a sensational fifth in the wet morning session despite having never raced at the Nurbrugring, before ending the day in 20th position on a dry track in the afternoon but with clear ideas to improve tomorrow. James Ellison: “This morning was really good. I’ve started the session from the front but the rear tyre was cold and I’ve dropped down a bit. In the qualifying I was near the front too and felt really confident. Then we came in towards the end to change a couple of things and put a soft tyre in. My fastest lap was my last. I’m a bit disappointed to be ninth but we’re nowhere near the limits so I’m pretty confident for tomorrow.” Pawel Szkopek: “The track was wet this morning and it was my first season at the Ring, so I was pretty happy with fifth in practice. Then the circuit dried out for the afternoon and we’ve learned a lot for tomorrow. We have to change the setup a little bit but we know what to do. My position doesn’t reflect our potential because I know where I can improve. I can go into some corners faster and I’m looking forward to doing so tomorrow. It might be wet on Sunday but after this morning it’s not much of a concern for us.” Simon Buckmaster: “James was running second early on and the changes we have made to his Bogdanka PTR Honda are helping him. He only got one fast lap at the end but is inside the top 10 and looking strong. He should be able to fight for the front row tomorrow. “It is Pawel’s first time here and he was good in the wet. In the dry he is improving and is working hard to qualify so he can score points in the race.” More, from a press release issued by ParkinGO Yamaha Racing Team: The first qualifying day at Nurburgring has seen Chaz Davies already on the top. After riding the first session of free practice under the rain, the British rider has registered the second fastest time, provisional first row behind Sam Lowes. Third provisional row for Luca Scassa finishing the day with the eleventh best time. The Italian rider has worked on the bike set up, aware of having two sessions tomorrow where the weather forecast looks fine. Chaz Davies – Yamaha YZF R6 #7 – “I thought it was going to be more difficult for me at this track, but already for me at this track, but already from the start it has gone quite good. I have improved and have set up the bike as the session was going, being able to get a really good time at the end of the qualifying. I think the basic set up for the race is done, now I will concentrate to keep my position on first row tomorrow.” Luca Scassa – Yamaha YZF R6 #9 – “I am satisfied of the work done today. We have found a solution for me to have a good feeling with the front of the bike, but we still have to improve the back of my R6, that is making me lose time uphill. We will have two more sessions tomorrow to improve my position.” More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Parkalgar Honda’s Sam Lowes powered to the top of the timesheets after the first World Supersport qualifying session with the time of 1 minute 59.771 seconds. Lowes, the only rider to dip under the two minute mark, was quickest ahead of points leader and fellow Brit Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO). Spain’s David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) was up at the front for much of the session, and finished third while his Motocard.com team-mate Broc Parkes was in sixth. The two Kawasaki machines sandwiched the Harms Benjan Racing Honda of Robbin Harms in fourth and the Hannspree Ten Kate version in fifth. Title contender Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) could only manage seventh place, while for the Italians it was a day to forget with Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) down in tenth and Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) one place behind. There was an incredible incident for Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha), who was taken out under braking by his team-mate Luca Marconi. The latter was taken to hospital with a broken right collarbone and for further checks. Times: 1. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’59.771; 2. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 2’00.305; 3. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2’00.522; 4. Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 2’00.974; 5. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 2’00.990; 6. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2’01.011; 7. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 2’01.096; 8. Rea G. (GBR)Honda CBR600RR 2’01.104; etc. More, from a press release issued by Ten Kate Honda: Marino heads provisional second row Florian Marino set the fifth fastest time in this afternoon’s opening qualifying session for Sunday’s ninth round 2011 World Supersport encounter at Nurburgring in Germany to earn a provisional second row start. The Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider was in confident mood coming into the weekend after a positive test with his team at Assen in the Netherlands last week. However, rain this morning left the 5.137km Nurburgring circuit wet and it wasn’t until a dry qualifying session this afternoon that times began to fall. Provisional pole position was taken by fellow Honda CBR600RR rider Sam Lowes as Marino’s Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate and former world champion Fabien Foret ended the day seventh fastest. Florian Marino P5 I felt really good after the test last week, when I did a full race test and managed to keep the lap time until the end. But this morning was wet and I just made some laps to try and find a rhythm. This afternoon was a bit hard because the bike was not going as I wanted it to and it was difficult to get that good feeling back that I had last week at the test. But the position is OK and I’m sure we can make some good changes to the bike, which feels quite heavy to turn at the moment. We must work on the braking, too, and see how tomorrow goes. Fabien Foret P7 Well, it was wet this morning so we didn’t really do anything it was quite pointless. When it was dry this afternoon I didn’t really like the feeling from the front and without enough track time it was difficult to find the right setting. However, I think tomorrow is going to be OK and we will be able to improve, so everything will be fine!