Supersport Race Lap Record: 1:37.620, Randy Krummenacher, 2018
Supersport Pole/Circuit Best Lap Record: 1:36.738, Lucas Mahias, 2018
FIM Supersport World Championship
Chang International Circuit, Thailand
March 16, 2019
Superpole Qualifying Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Jules Cluzel, France (Yam YZF-R6), 1:36.826
2. Randy Krummenacher, Switzerland (Yam YZF-R6), 1:36.855
3. Federico Caricasulo, Italy (Yam YZF-R6), 1:36.915
4. Hikari Okubo, Japan (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:37.106
5. Raffaele De Rosa, Italy (MV Agusta F3 675), 1:37.225
6. Issac Vinales, Spain (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.423
7. Thomas Gradinger, Austria (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.581
8. Hector Barbera, Spain (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.782
9. Lucas Mahias, France (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:37.786
10. Ayrton Badovini, Italy (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:37.877
11. Hannes Soomer, Estonia (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.080
12. Jules Danilo, France (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.135
18. Maria Herrera, Spain (Yam YZF-R6), 1:39.076
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
WorldSSP: Jules Cluzel takes pole position in Buriram
Thrilling WorldSSP Tissot Superpole ends with Frenchman on top and nine riders in a second.
Pirelli Thai Round saw the Tissot Superpole for the FIM Supersport World Championship take place, with Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA) taking his first pole position of the season, his first since Donington Park in 2018. Joining him on the front row, the BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team pairing of Randy Krummenacher and Federico Caricasulo – a reversed front row from the opening round of the year.
Heading row two, Japanese star Hikari Okubo, who achieved his best Tissot Superpole grid position of fourth. His previous best was a fifth, also at Donington Park in 2018. Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse) finished in fifth position and will look to stay aboard on Sunday, whilst completing row two was Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing), his first time in Thailand on a World Supersport bike not a being a poor showing at all.
Row three sees Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) with work to do, especially if he wants to give Austria their first ever podium finish. He lines up ahead of the likes of Hector Barbera (Team Toth by Willirace) and 2017 WorldSSP Champion, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Both Barbera and Mahias struggling throughout the session to set a lap time capable of challenging the front runners. Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) completes the top ten, after his first experience of Thailand in WorldSSP.
Cluzel’s pole position means it is Yamaha’s 75th pole position in the class, whilst it is France’s 74th. Cluzel hasn’t won a race from pole position since Buriram in 2016 and has only won from pole position on four other occasions. Can he change that and give Yamaha their 80th win in WorldSSP?
Pole position – Jules Cluzel (GMT94 YAMAHA)
“I am so pleased about this result. Our rivals have been very quick since the beginning of the season, but it seems that after Australia we have now found the pace to stay with them. I am really happy, and I want to thank my team because they did a good job in every session and I think we have worked well so far and that we are ready to fight for the win. Temperatures here are extremely high, and there are strong competitors, so I expect a hard battle in the race tomorrow”.