Assen, with its high speed corners and long straights, was always going to be a challenge for Pitt, but the 26-year-old Australian managed to limit the damage during qualifying, by riding harder than anyone through the twists and turns of the recently revamped Dutch circuit.

'The bike feels real good in terms of the handling, but we're still losing out on acceleration out of the turns,' said a disappointed Pitt. 'I'm trying to make up the lost ground by riding as hard as I can through the corners - getting on the brakes a little later and running in a little hotter on each lap - but that means I'm missing the apex half the time. For sure it's not the way I normally like to ride, but it was the only way I could ensure that I didn't find myself even further down the order at the end of qualifying.'

'I've been in the same position before this season, so I'm not panicking about starting from 14th place on the grid. If I can get away from the line cleanly, then there's every chance I'll be able to catch the leading group at some point on the opening lap. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes tomorrow,' he added.

James Ellison, riding his Fuchs Kawasaki ZX-6R at Assen for the first time this weekend, also found himself at a disadvantage accelerating out of the slower turns; in particular, the hairpin leading onto the back straight. The 20-year-old British rider will start tomorrow's race from the sixth row of the grid, after qualifying in 21st position.

'The bike is working well, and I feel as if I'm going pretty fast, but I'm losing almost a second at the hairpin on every lap,' said Ellison. 'There have been times today when I've felt that even the guys at the top of the timesheets have been holding me up through the turns, but as soon as we get on the gas out of the hairpin, they're pulling away from me down the straight.

'I'll be looking to make up a few places at the start tomorrow and, if I can get myself into the top 15 by the end of the first lap, then there's no reason why I shouldn't be able to work my way through the pack as the race progresses; a bit like I did last weekend at Oschersleben. That's what I'll be aiming to do anyway,' continued the reigning European Superstock Champion.