HASLAM HAPPY WITH FIFTH PLACE ON KYALAMI SUPERBIKE GRID
. By Bikeland Staff
Team Suzuki Alstare rider Leon Haslam battled away to the fifth fastest time in Superpole today and will start tomorrow's pair of 24-lap World Superbike races in Kyalami in South Africa from the second row of the grid.
Although he would've liked a front-row grid place, his position is well-placed for an attack into the first turn for what promises to be yet another action-packed Raceday.
Haslam's team mate Sylvain Guintoli improved from yesterday and was charging towards the first two rows of the grid until the smallest of mistakes in Superpole 2 cost him a place in Superpole 3.
Cal Crutchlow took Superpole today - his third of the season - with Yamaha team mate James Toseland second. Third was Carlos Checa (Ducati) with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) fourth on a day that saw just one second separating the top 13 riders.
Leon Haslam - 5th, 1:37.401:
"I'm pretty happy with fifth place today and I actually prefer it to fourth because it is a better place from which to attack the first turn. It's an easier run and as long as I get a good start, I'm sure I'll be there or thereabouts. I'm happy because my race pace is good and my lap times on race rubber are good. It's going to be a tough day tomorrow and any one of about six or so riders could win a race. Kyalami is a difficult track to overtake on because there's more or less only one racing line. When you get off that line, to pass somebody for example, it's easy to get on a dirty and bumpy part of the track and make a mistake. The first corner is not very far away and after that there are a series of corners where it would be impossible to pass, so good starts are vital. Tomorrow morning we'll make a few little tweaks to the bike and see if we can improve it further. But, if not, then it's ready to race and so am I."
Sylvain Guintoli - 10th, 1:37.875:
"I am disappointed with my Superpole and but for a small mistake in a final split, I'm sure that I could have got into final Superpole. That would've given me at least a place on the second row, but now I will have to start tomorrow's races from row three. The first corner is quite close and so it's very important that I make two good starts. If I don't, I'm going to be in trouble for sure and it'll be difficult making up ground.
"The good news is that I'm happy with my race set-up and very happy with my race tyres. It's a shame that I didn't qualify better, because I'm sure that it would've made my two races easier. As I said before, this Championship is so competitive and the lap times are so close and if you make the smallest of errors you get punished a lot."