Silverstone: Series Friday report

Local hero Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) set a blistering 2'05.664 second lap at Silverstone to head the first qualifying session at his home track, with no fewer than five of his compatriots inside the top ten places. The 5.902km Silverstone circuit is new to almost all of the 25 Superbike riders on show, making Crutchlow's advantage of 0.342 seconds over the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda of Jonathan Rea an impressive first day result.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser was third quickest, with British rider Leon Camier fourth on his Aprilia Alitalia vee-four. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) made it five different bikes in the top five places with one qualifying session to go, and James Toseland (Crutchlow's Yamaha Sterilgarda team-mate) secured sixth place.

Championship leader Max Biaggi, Camier's team-mate, was a steady seventh, one place ahead of his main championship threat, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare). Privateer Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) was 0.811 seconds away from Crutchlow, in ninth, with the top ten rounded out by Tom Sykes on his official Kawasaki Racing Team four-cylinder machine.

Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) was a happy 11th, as he was one place up on the official machine of Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox). Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) was 13th, the Team Pata B&G Aprilia of Jakub Smrz 14th, and 15th was a rider returning from injury, Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati).

The wildcard HM Plant Honda duo of Josh Brookes and Ryuichi Kiyonari, both old friends of WSBK, were only 21st and 22nd on day one, with Tommy Bridewell (TYCO Racing Honda) 24th.

World Supersport

Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) eased to the top of the first qualifying session at Silverstone, 0.090 seconds ahead of UK-based series regular Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) and 0.161 seconds up on Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com). Championship leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was fourth, Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda) fifth.

Superstock 1000

Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Junior Honda) earned the best time in the first qualifying session in the last minute, heading off championship leader Ayrton Badovini (BMW Italia STK). Third was the Team Lorini Honda of Andrea Antonelli, with the 88 Lazio Motorsport Ducati of Lorenzo Zanetti fourth. A good day for Ducati saw Luca Baroni (Pata B&G) fifth, and the Team Pedercini Kawasaki of Danilo Petrucci finished off a cosmopolitan top six in terms of motorcycles. Loris Baz was top Yamaha man, eighth on his MRS Racing R1.

Superstock 600

Wildcard rider Luke Mossey (Sondelsport Yamaha) was the provisional pole man at Silverstone after the first day, holding off the push of championship challengers Florian Marino (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) and Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha). Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) was a top four early qualifier, ahead of Guarnoni's team-mate, Romain Lanusse.

-source: wsbk