KAWASAKI REJUVENATED AT FAST AND FLOWING BRNO: The return of World Superbike to the glorious environs of the Brno circuit was started off in excellent style with an unpredictable and action packed first qualifying session, eventually headed by Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki). The British rider, one of the top runners to have recently tested at Brno, was on top for most of the final 15 minutes, before being temporarily deposed in an astonishing flurry of last minute activity. He took his provisional pole position back with a last gasp lap of 2’03.064. To add to the PSG-1 Kawasaki joy Walker’s team-mate Mauro Sanchini was a fine sixth fastest, 1.266 seconds behind. Kawasaki has been a winner at Brno on the past, with 1993 World Champion Scott Russell winning a single contest in his championship season.

CORSER LEAVES IT LATE BUT TAKES SECOND BEST TIME: Languishing just inside the top ten for a time, Troy Corser (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) was another rider who had a strong finishing burst to take second best time. Twice a winner in the 1996 event at Brno (when riding Ducati machines) Corser was fully nine places ahead of his team- mate Yukio Kagayama, who was 11th fastest.

MAX USES ‘LOCAL’ KNOWLEDGE: For most riders Brno was a new or relearned experience from the distant past but in his early German championship career and European Championship campaigns, plus a mid-season test session this year, Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda), has great experience of the Brno track. He went third fastest, only deposed from provisional pole by the late runs of Walker and Corser. Neukirchner’s team-mate Pierfrancesco Chili fell in the morning session, hurting his fingers, and qualified 13th overall in the following timed session.

YAMAHA RESURGENT WITH CARDOSO: Jose Luis Cardoso (DFX Treme Yamaha) returned to his pre-season testing form at a track he knows well to take the final provisional front row slot in fourth. The next closest Yamaha rider was Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) in tenth, his own team-mate Andrew Pitt 15th, after a brighter start in the morning session. Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) was up to a front row start at one stage, but such was the late competition for times and provisional grid places, he slid back to 12th. Returnee from injury Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France) was 22nd overall. Champion Endurance rider Davide Checa (Yamaha GMT94) added his weight to a staggeringly strong 35-rider grid, with all competitors inside the 107% qualifying maxima.

LACONI TOP OF THE TWINS: Championship runner-up in 2004 Regis Laconi (Ducati Xerox 999F05) made it five different machines in the top five positions on day one, after he took his booming vee-twin to fifth best time, outpacing his ninth place team-mate, James Toseland. The Ducati charge continued apace, with Ivan Clementi (having swapped from Kawasaki to Ducati machinery midseason) finishing seventh. Lorenzo Lanzi (SC Caracchi Ducati) looked like a potential front row rider at one stage but he too was swamped by other riders, finishing his afternoon 16th, making him the last provisional Superpole qualifier.

TEN KATE HONDA’S FIND EARLY PACE HOT: Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge (both Winston Ten Kate Honda) showed their lack of Brno test miles on day one, with Vermeulen eighth and Muggeridge 14th after the first timed hour. Renegade Honda rider Ben Bostrom, another Brno rookie, was 25th fastest.

PETRONAS RIDERS SHOWING FORWARD MOVEMENT: Despite the power-sapping run back up the hill on the final section of the circuit the Petronas pairing of Garry McCoy and Steve Martin could use their sweet-handling machines to the full, with McCoy ending day one 17th, and Martin 20th.

SUPERSPORT: Despite his main rivals all having tested at Brno recently World Championship leader Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) posted the fastest time of the first day, with a 2’07.489. In a fast session for the Yamaha entries, Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes (both Yamaha Motor Germany) used their testing experience to go second and third fastest. Fabien Foret (Team Italia Megabike Honda) and his team-mate Michel Fabrizio finished off the top five, also relying on their recent days of testing at Brno to help their early pace. In his rookie Winston Ten Kate Honda ride (replacing the injured regular, Katsuaki Fujiwara) young Brit Craig Jones ran out sixth fastest, ahead of Javier Fores (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) and Stiggy Motorsports rider, Robin Harms.

Final qualifying takes place on 16 July, with Superpole following on at 16.00 local time for the top 16 riders in regulation World Superbike qualifying.