JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam is on the MCE British Superbike front row for race one at Cadwell Park, after a 1’26.380 lap that placed him third fastest overall during qualifying.
Joining the Smalley rider on the front row are title rivals, Be Wiser Ducati’s Shane Byrne and Smiths Racing’s Peter Hickman. No one today was able to better Haslam’s outright lap record at the Lincolnshire track, of a 1’25.923.
Nevertheless the Ducati and BMW both went faster than Haslam in Q3 and for the Kawasaki man it took him a while to gain confidence on a new tyre.
It took him about six laps to put down a quick time on the harder SC2 front Pirelli and SC0 softer rear tyre compounds, but when he did it propelled him into the top three.
Haslam admitted he was ‘disappointed’ that he didn’t go faster than his own best lap and felt that he was losing the front of his ZX-10RR, especially when he tried to push, and with how ‘bad’ he was feeling around the track he didn’t expect to be on the front row.
“I felt pretty confident until we really tried to push and when we pushed we came across a few other issues,” said Haslam at the track.
“I didn’t set my lap time I think until lap six on that tyre and when the grip dropped away the bike handled more normally again. Disappointed - we managed a 1’25 last year and this year I didn’t expect to be on the front row for how bad I felt out there. To be on the front row we have to give it all we have got tomorrow.
“We just kept losing the front in several places and it seems when we put a new tyre in it throws up a few things. But this weekend we have done a few race runs and a front row start is good.”
