Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes marmalised the Lausitzring WorldSBK outright lap record on his way to pole position today but was chased hard by team-mate Jonathan Rea with Lorenzo Savadori completing the front row.
Sykes put in a 1’36.121 with his last lap on the qualifying Pirelli in Superpole two to go a second under the circuit best of 1’37.172, set by Sykes in free practice two last year while the top ten riders were under the race record.
Rea, who left it until his last lap to put in a challenge, reverted to the settings he used in the test here a couple of weeks ago for Superpole after not finding the required pace with the changes made so far. He set a 1’36.334 which nudged the Milwaukee Aprilia of Savadori into the final front row spot.
Marco Melandri ended as top Ducati and was in the hunt with his opening 1’36.821 effort. That was enough for top spot early doors but the Italian slipped back to fourth place depsite going quicker with a 1’36.700. Jordi Torres found pace on the qualifying tyre and won the BMW bragging rights with a 1’36.739 for fifth.
Chaz Davies looked unhappy with his performance, as he completed the second row, ending six-tenths down on Sykes’ best. Alex Lowes heads row three on the Pata Yamaha with Eugene Laverty on the second Milwaukee RSV4, making a little history first man to break the 1’37s barrier with his opening effort of 1’36.824 on race rubber.
The Irishman wasn’t able to go a chunk faster on the qualifying tyre though, ending with a 1’37.796 while Leon Camier completes row three on the MV Agusta. Markus Reiterberger, Michael Van Der Mark and Xavi Fores, who both came through Superpole one, complete the top ten.
Rafaelle De Rosa and Tati Mercado are in 13th and 14th with the injured Stefan Bradl in 15th place. Red Bull Honda team-mate Davide Giugliano didn’t make it out of Superpole one after mis-timing his last lap and will start in 17th behind countryman Ayrton Badovini.
