Sykes Scores Aragon Super Pole
World Superbike 2014
www.motorcycle-usa.com By Byron Wilson
Kawasaki Racing’s Tom Sykes scored his 20th career pole position at Aragon. Sykes’ teammate, Loris Baz, finished second-fastest followed by the current championship points leader, Sylvain Guintoli of Aprilia, in third.
Sykes edged ahead Baz late in SP2, nearing the circuit record lap he set in 2013 but falling slightly short of the mark due to some front-end issues.
“I am happy because the target was a front row start but we got pole position,” said Sykes. “I honestly felt the lap could have been better but after four corners I was having some tucking from the front tires and I did not want to overstep the mark. I think I could have beaten my own track record but it was not to be.”
Ducati’s Davide Giuliano heads up the second-row followed by Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea and Giugliano’s teammate, Chaz Davies. The British Ducati rider was one of three to go down during SP2. Rea’s teammate, Leon Haslam, crashed early in the session and damage to his bike made it impossible for him to continue, leaving him to start from 12th on the grid. BMW EVO rider Leon Camier, who is substituting for the injured Sylvain Barrier, went down in the final seconds and finished 11th-fastest.
Guintoli’s teammate, Marco Melandri, finished in seventh followed by Voltcom Suzuki’s Eugene Laverty in eighth. Laverty’s teammate, Alex Lowes, ended the session in ninth.
There were seven riders that didn’t post times fast enough to move into Superpole 1, including Team Hero EBR’s Geoff May and Aaron Yates. Bimota Alstare’s Ayrton Badovini and Christian Iddon did, however, make it to SP1 in their debut round and will start from 15th and 18th, respectively. Bimota has yet to completely meet homologation requirements, so neither rider will be scored points for this round, but the track time will be an invaluable asset for further development.
In World Supersport, DMC Panavto-Yamaha’s Kev Coughlan finished fastest followed by American rider Patrick Jacobsen of Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres in second. MV Agusta’s Jules Cluzel will start from third.
World Superbike Aragon Superpole Results 2014
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’56.479 – SP2
2. Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 1’56.675 – SP2
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’56.769 – SP2
4. Davide Giugliano (Ducati) 1’56.825 – SP2
5. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1’56.972 – SP2
6. Chaz Davies (Ducati) 1’56.977 – SP2
7. Marco Melandri (Aprilia) 1’57.063 – SP2
8. Eugene Laverty (Suzuki) 1’57.736 – SP2
9. Alex Lowes (Suzuki) 1’57.975 – SP2
10. Toni Elias (Aprilia) 1’58.180 – SP2
11. Leon Camier (BMW EVO) 1’59.180 – SP2
12. Leon Haslam (Honda) – SP2
13. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati EVO) 1’59.255 – SP1
14. David Salom (Kawasaki EVO) 1’59.486 – SP1
15. Ayrton Badovini (Bimota EVO) 1’59.596 – SP1
16. Claudio Corti (MV Agusta) 1’59.747 – SP1
17. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki EVO) 2’00.415 – SP1
18. Christian Iddon (Bimota EVO) 2’01.102 – SP1
19. Michel Fabrizio (Kawasaki EVO) 2’01.862 – SP1
20. Jeremy Guarnoni (Kawasaki EVO) – SP1
21. Fabien Foret (Kawasaki EVO) 2’01.511 – FP
22. Luca Scassa (Kawasaki EVO) 2’02.037 – FP
23. Allesandro Andreozzi (Kawasaki EVO) 2’02.507 – FP
24. Imre Toth (BMW) 2’02.672 – FP
25. Aaron Yates (EBR) 2’03.102 – FP
26. Geoff May (EBR) 2’03.657 – FP
27. Peter Sebestyen (BMW Evo) 2’05.570 - FP
Sykes edged ahead Baz late in SP2, nearing the circuit record lap he set in 2013 but falling slightly short of the mark due to some front-end issues.
“I am happy because the target was a front row start but we got pole position,” said Sykes. “I honestly felt the lap could have been better but after four corners I was having some tucking from the front tires and I did not want to overstep the mark. I think I could have beaten my own track record but it was not to be.”
Ducati’s Davide Giuliano heads up the second-row followed by Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea and Giugliano’s teammate, Chaz Davies. The British Ducati rider was one of three to go down during SP2. Rea’s teammate, Leon Haslam, crashed early in the session and damage to his bike made it impossible for him to continue, leaving him to start from 12th on the grid. BMW EVO rider Leon Camier, who is substituting for the injured Sylvain Barrier, went down in the final seconds and finished 11th-fastest.
Guintoli’s teammate, Marco Melandri, finished in seventh followed by Voltcom Suzuki’s Eugene Laverty in eighth. Laverty’s teammate, Alex Lowes, ended the session in ninth.
There were seven riders that didn’t post times fast enough to move into Superpole 1, including Team Hero EBR’s Geoff May and Aaron Yates. Bimota Alstare’s Ayrton Badovini and Christian Iddon did, however, make it to SP1 in their debut round and will start from 15th and 18th, respectively. Bimota has yet to completely meet homologation requirements, so neither rider will be scored points for this round, but the track time will be an invaluable asset for further development.
In World Supersport, DMC Panavto-Yamaha’s Kev Coughlan finished fastest followed by American rider Patrick Jacobsen of Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres in second. MV Agusta’s Jules Cluzel will start from third.
World Superbike Aragon Superpole Results 2014
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’56.479 – SP2
2. Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 1’56.675 – SP2
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’56.769 – SP2
4. Davide Giugliano (Ducati) 1’56.825 – SP2
5. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 1’56.972 – SP2
6. Chaz Davies (Ducati) 1’56.977 – SP2
7. Marco Melandri (Aprilia) 1’57.063 – SP2
8. Eugene Laverty (Suzuki) 1’57.736 – SP2
9. Alex Lowes (Suzuki) 1’57.975 – SP2
10. Toni Elias (Aprilia) 1’58.180 – SP2
11. Leon Camier (BMW EVO) 1’59.180 – SP2
12. Leon Haslam (Honda) – SP2
13. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati EVO) 1’59.255 – SP1
14. David Salom (Kawasaki EVO) 1’59.486 – SP1
15. Ayrton Badovini (Bimota EVO) 1’59.596 – SP1
16. Claudio Corti (MV Agusta) 1’59.747 – SP1
17. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki EVO) 2’00.415 – SP1
18. Christian Iddon (Bimota EVO) 2’01.102 – SP1
19. Michel Fabrizio (Kawasaki EVO) 2’01.862 – SP1
20. Jeremy Guarnoni (Kawasaki EVO) – SP1
21. Fabien Foret (Kawasaki EVO) 2’01.511 – FP
22. Luca Scassa (Kawasaki EVO) 2’02.037 – FP
23. Allesandro Andreozzi (Kawasaki EVO) 2’02.507 – FP
24. Imre Toth (BMW) 2’02.672 – FP
25. Aaron Yates (EBR) 2’03.102 – FP
26. Geoff May (EBR) 2’03.657 – FP
27. Peter Sebestyen (BMW Evo) 2’05.570 - FP