WSS: Yamaha Magny-Cours Saturday notes

Second row for Curtain in title decider

Championship leader Kevin Curtain will start tomorrow's final round of the Supersport World Championship from the head of the second row after failing to improve his time in a rain-affected final qualifying session at Magny Cours today.

The Australian Yamaha Motor Germany rider, who needs to finish eighth or higher in the 22 lap race to win the title, was looking to improve upon his 1:43.765 lap from Friday when a light rain fell - curtailing any opportunity to move up to the front row.

Ahead of Curtain will be two other YZF-R6s, with his Yamaha Motor Germany team-mate Broc Parkes an impressive third at the circuit where he scored his first race win in the class. The 24-year-old improved his Friday time by almost a second before the rain arrived, moving him up from sixth on the provisional grid. Joining Parkes on the front row will be will be Yamaha GMT94's David Checa. The Spaniard, who has completed hundreds of laps of the circuit in endurance racing, was another overnight improver.

Massimo Roccoli will start the race from eighth position on the Yamaha Team Italia entry, with team-mate Gianluca Vizziello 12th after failing to improve his time.

Pole position goes to Sebastien Charpentier (Honda), with his team-mate Kenan Sofuolu in second position.

<pre> Qualifying 2

Pos.     Rider                   Manu.          Nat.     Total Time
1        Sebastien Charpentier   Honda          FRA      1'42.506
2        Kenan Sofuoglu          Honda          TUR      1'43.097
3        Broc Parkes             Yamaha         AUS      1'43.514
4        David Checa             Yamaha         ESP      1'43.763
5        Kevin Curtain           Yamaha         AUS      1'43.765
6        Katsuaki Fujiwara       Honda          JPN      1'44.032
7        Gianluca Nannelli       Ducati         ITA      1'44.170
8        Massimo Roccoli         Yamaha         ITA      1'44.238
9        Johan Stigefelt         Honda          SWE      1'44.367
10       Stephane Chambon        Kawasaki       FRA      1'44.371
11       Robbin Harms            Honda          DNK      1'44.430
12       Gianluca Vizziello      Yamaha         ITA      1'44.452
13       Fabien Foret            Kawasaki       FRA      1'44.553
14       Mauro Sanchini          Yamaha         ITA      1'44.556
15       William De Angelis      Honda          ITA      1'44.638
16       Simone Sanna            Honda          ITA      1'44.718
17       Barry Veneman           Suzuki         NED      1'45.044
18       Kai Borre Andersen      Suzuki         NOR      1'45.081
19       Didier Van Keymeulen    Yamaha         BEL      1'45.176
20       Yoann Tibero            Honda          FRA      1'45.199
21       Christian Zaiser        Ducati         AUT      1'45.296
22       Chris Peris             Yamaha         CAN      1'45.299
23       David Perret            Kawasaki       FRA      1'45.616
24       Gregory Leblanc         Honda          FRA      1'45.765
25       Vesa Kallio             Yamaha         FIN      1'45.800
26       Alessio Velini          Yamaha         ITA      1'45.821
27       Miguel Praia            Honda          POR      1'45.892
28       Arie Vos                Honda          NED      1'45.910
29       Stuart Easton           Ducati         GBR      1'46.139
30       Alessio Corradi         Yamaha         ITA      1'46.158
31       Tom Tunstall            Honda          GBR      1'46.287

-credit: www.yamaha-racing.com