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Qualifying report
World Superbike Donington Park

Giugliano wins second career Tissot-Superpole

Joining the Italian rider on the front row in both races tomorrow will be Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri.

Davide Giugliano

Donington (Great Britain), - The Tissot-Superpole sessions ahead of tomorrow’s fifth round races for the 2014 eni FIM World Superbike Championship were held in cold and wet conditions at Donington Park near Derby.

After yesterday’s dry sessions the FP4 session this morning proved to be all important ahead of the two grid deciding sessions this afternoon.

Making it through from Superpole 1, Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) and Ayrton Badovini (Team Bimota Alstare) joined the already seeded riders after the combined Free Practices. Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) both crashed out unhurt at the fast Starkeys section of the track before posting a time. The pair were joined by an unlucky Badovini who also fell spectacularly at the end of the session on the fast uphill left hander. Niccolo Canepa had a slow speed crash at the Melbourne Hairpin while Fabien Foret (Mahi Team India Kawasaki) elected not to ride in the session.

Superpole 2 was held in similarly tricky conditions and after an enthralling 15 minutes it was Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) who emerged as the Pole Position man. Joining Giugliano on the front row in both races tomorrow will be Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team).

Row two comprises Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team).

In the session Guintoli Rea and Giugliano all crashed and remounted after posting their fastest times.

Davide Giugliano: “I would like to dedicate this, the second pole of my career, to my whole team but also to the family of Andrea Antonelli. My first Superpole came in Moscow last year but was followed by the tragic accident, so I therefore wish to dedicate this to Andrea's family. That said, I’m really pleased with today’s result and thank my entire team; we’ve worked well all weekend and I had a really good feeling all day today. Tomorrow’s races won’t be easy, regardless of whether conditions are wet or dry. My rivals are strong here so I think we’re in for two hard-fought races.”

Leon Haslam: “Since breaking my leg last year we haven’t had the best of times or been where we want to be in terms of results, so for me it’s a good start to my season to get on the front row. We’ve still got a little bit more work to do for the dry set-up but I had a good feeling with the bike in the rain at Assen and we’ve made a lot of steps over the winter. Fingers crossed I can get the start that’s needed and we can be in there with the front guys tomorrow.”

Times:1. Giugliano (Ducati) 1'44.903 average 138.059 kph; 2. Haslam (Honda) 1'45.009; 3. Melandri (Aprilia) 1'45.111; 4. Lowes (Suzuki) 1'45.258; 5. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1'45.839; 6. Baz (Kawasaki) 1'46.058; 7. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1'46.241; 8. Rea (Honda) 1'46.306; 9. Elias (Aprilia) 1'46.326; 10. Laverty(Suzuki) 1'47.963; 11. Davies (Ducati) 1'50.099; 12. Badovini (Bimota); 13. Iddon (Bimota); 14. Corti (MV Agusta); 15. Andreozzi (Kawasaki); 16. Canepa (Ducati); 17. Salom (Kawasaki); 18. Camier (BMW); 19. Foret (Kawasaki); 20. Guarnoni (Kawasaki).

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