Submitted by Jared Earle on
World Superbike qualifying was fifteen minutes with a few riders opting for opening on race tyres for a three session strategy.
After one lap, Alex Lowes led Jonathan Rea with a 1'38.730 as the teammates rode in formation half a lap after the rest of the grid. After a quick pit stop, a couple of two-stop riders headed straight out on the qualifying tyres after a sighting lap on a race tyre, while most riders settled in for a cup of tea on their only stop. Scott Redding was third quickest after his lonely opening lap, electing to wait until the track was clear before heading out.
At the five minute remaining mark. Riders started to peel out of the pits. Michael Ruben Rinaldi snuck up to third place and putted in as the Kawasakis set red sectors, with the injured Alex Lowes holding off Jonathan Rea with a 1'38.539 as the pair improved on their times.
As the session ticked down, Toprak Razgatlioglu languished in thirteenth place only to pull a fast lap out of his hat to set a 1'38.512 for pole position, all of it made up in the final sector.
Toprak Razgatlioglu headed the front row, with Alex Lowes, nursing a hand injury from last weekend, and Jonathan Rea alongside him, while the Ducatis of Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi were joined by Andrea Locatelli on the second row. Loris Baz, on Chaz Davies's Ducati, was seventh quickest ahead of the Hondas of Leon Haslam and Alvaro Bautista.
Results:
| Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Time | Gap | Speed |
| 1 | 54 | T. RAZGATLIOGLU | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'38.512 | 268,7 | |
| 2 | 22 | A. LOWES | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'38.539 | 0.027 | 268,0 |
| 3 | 1 | J. REA | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'38.614 | 0.102 | 265,4 |
| 4 | 45 | S. REDDING | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1'38.661 | 0.149 | 271,4 |
| 5 | 21 | M. RINALDI | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1'38.860 | 0.348 | 271,4 |
| 6 | 55 | A. LOCATELLI | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'39.056 | 0.544 | 268,7 |
| 7 | 11 | L. BAZ | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1'39.322 | 0.810 | 270,0 |
| 8 | 91 | L. HASLAM | Honda CBR1000 RR-R | 1'39.423 | 0.911 | 268,0 |
| 9 | 19 | A. BAUTISTA | Honda CBR1000 RR-R | 1'39.609 | 1.097 | 272,7 |
| 10 | 31 | G. GERLOFF | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'39.747 | 1.235 | 263,4 |
| 11 | 36 | L. MERCADO | Honda CBR1000 RR-R | 1'40.023 | 1.511 | 267,3 |
| 12 | 47 | A. BASSANI | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1'40.081 | 1.569 | 267,3 |
| 13 | 60 | M. VAN DER MARK | BMW M 1000 RR | 1'40.092 | 1.580 | 266,0 |
| 14 | 94 | J. FOLGER | BMW M 1000 RR | 1'40.121 | 1.609 | 264,7 |
| 15 | 50 | E. LAVERTY | BMW M 1000 RR | 1'40.206 | 1.694 | 268,7 |
| 16 | 32 | I. VINALES | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'40.273 | 1.761 | 264,1 |
| 17 | 3 | K. NOZANE | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'40.367 | 1.855 | 266,7 |
| 18 | 76 | S. CAVALIERI | Ducati Panigale V4 R | 1'40.433 | 1.921 | 269,3 |
| 19 | 17 | M. FRITZ | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'40.490 | 1.978 | 259,6 |
| 20 | 9 | A. MANTOVANI | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'40.795 | 2.283 | 263,4 |
| 21 | 23 | C. PONSSON | Yamaha YZF R1 | 1'41.030 | 2.518 | 262,8 |
| 22 | 84 | L. CRESSON | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'41.255 | 2.743 | 259,6 |
| 23 | 83 | L. EPIS | Kawasaki ZX-10RR | 1'42.626 | 4.114 | 255,3 |
Comments
Let’s work together
Last week it was Miller helping Bagnaia by making life hard for Quarararo. This week, although Kawasaki team's tactics in Superpole didn't entirely work to plan, it seems to me their intention couldn't have been clearer. Lowes has been lined up to lay down his life - metaphorically - in order to delay Toprak and give Rea a clear run. I don't approve of Kawasaki ratting on Toprak after the last race, but team tactics are fine by me as long as they are implemented fairly. Should make for a fun race.