NEWS

MONZA WSB: CRUTCHLOW LEADS THE WAY IN ITALY

07/05/2010

Crutchlow just edged out Michael Fabrizio in first qualifying

By David Miller
Image by Paul Sturman

Sterilgarda Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow put in a barn-storming last lap in the opening World Superbike free practice session at Monza this afternoon, lapping at 1'43.758 which just nudged out Michel Fabrizio on the Xerox Ducati in his own backyard..

Crutchlow is a little under a tenth faster than the Italian who, in turn, is just ahead of Ten Kate Honda's Jonathan Rea, who led for a majority of the hour, and a late run of laps saw Leon Haslam, on the Alstare Suzuki, clinch fourth.

Rea was straight out of the blocks with a 1'45.369 on a circuit that is now faster as the chicane which is turn one has been made less severe and is less stop-go. The Irishman then went to a 1'44.783 as James Toseland, on the second Sterilgarda Yamaha, was chasing hard on a 1'44.872.

With 15 minutes gone, Rea was faster again with a 1'44.073 as Crutchlow popped into third on a 1'45.001. BMW's Troy Corser was battling with Fabrizio for fifth but Toseland started a lap that was quicker in the first two sectors but went away in the last, finishing at 1'44.190.

On the half hour, Althea Ducati's Shane Byrne got up from a crash right at the end of a good lap as Fabrizio charged into third place on a 1'44.461. Rea then came out for another run of laps which saw him up the pace again to a 1'44.004 while the sister Ten Kate Honda of Max Neukirchner went fourth fastest. The German was involved in an horrendous first-turn crash here last year which saw him break his leg.

With 13 minutes to go, Fabrizio went second on a 1'44.154 and Tom Sykes got into the top ten, going seventh on a 1'45.105. Alitalia Aprilia's Max Biaggi slid into fourth soon after, and set the top speed record for the track at 204mph (326.9kph).

Fabrizio put in his quickest lap of 1'43.844 with 11 minutes left on the clock as Haslam started a march to the top of the sheets, going tenth on a 1'45.206 and then third six minutes later with a 1'44.490. Crutchlow, meanwhile had hauled himself back to fourth before setting off on his final run to take top spot.

Toseland ended up fifth, four tenths off the pace, with Biaggi, Corser and the second Aprilia of Leon Camier, who has never ridden here before, in eighth, rounding out a theoretical front row. Ruben Xaus, on the other BMW, and Neukirchner complete the top ten.

Sykes finished the session in 11th, with Xerox Ducati's Noriyuki Haga next to him while Byrne was the last British rider. He took 17th place and is more than two seconds in arrears.

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