BSB 2013 – Round Five – Snetterton – Lowes scores pole
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship – Datatag Extreme qualifying:
1:Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 1m:48.106s
2:Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.387s
3:Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +0.966s
4:Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) +0.984s
5:James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) +1.177s
6:Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +1.212s
Alex Lowes threw down the gauntlet to his rivals by scorching at record-breaking pace to his third pole start of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at a sun-drenched Snetterton ahead of tomorrow’s fifth round.
The Samsung Honda rider tacked his rivals to set a stunning lap in a time of 1m 48.106s, to break the challenge of the series leader Shane Byrne, riding the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki by just a third of a second.
Lowes who heads into the races tomorrow in third place in the standings, said: “It may not have looked like it but this has been my most difficult round of the season to far; in free practice we had a few concerns, but we have been trying in every session.
“I just hope that it all pays off now in the races, and I am happy enough with that lap after the nightmare day we had on Friday. All I can do now is give my all in these races and work as hard as I can,” added Lowes who is keen to close the 36 points deficit to Byrne.
Aussie Josh Brookes, who goes into these races trailing Byrne by 30 points, underlined his determination to add to his tally of four consecutive podium finishes, to secure a front row start for his Tyco Suzuki team with a time marginally faster than seven-time Snetterton race winner Ryuichi Kiyonari.
The Japanese rider continued to close the gap to the leaders on the second Samsung Honda and is now aiming to improve on his best results of the season so far, a pair of thirds last time out at Knockhill, to put his hopes of taking the British crown for a record fourth time firmly back on track.
James Ellison starts his Milwaukee Yamaha from the second row in fifth, ahead of Quattro Plant Kawasaki’s Chris Walker, Tommy Bridewell on the Bathams Honda and Jakub Smrz riding for Padgetts Honda. The Buildbase BMW pair of Jon Kirkham and James Westmoreland complete the top ten.
— Milwaukee Yamaha Report
The Milwaukee Yamaha team made steps forward at Snetterton today in qualifying as James Ellison and Josh Waters prepare for tomorrow’s fifth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.
Ellison and Waters both slashed their times today however the team are targeting further improvements ahead of the two races in Norfolk. Ellison narrowly missed out on the front row in qualifying today and will start fifth on the grid whilst Waters lines up on the third row for the opening race tomorrow.
Ellison said: “We have made some improvements and have been just chipping away really. It has been gradual steps but we have been getting there. We have been working on trying to get a better exit out of the corners as we can make up time on the brakes. We know the characteristics of the Yamaha and have some more ideas for tomorrow. We just really need to get away with the leading pack and then see if we can try and close the gap again to Alex and Shakey.”
Waters said: “We are still looking through some ideas this evening as like I said yesterday I feel more comfortable but I just need that extra bit to make me closer to some of the other guys. We are building up but we have to try and push tomorrow as I think over race distance we will be able to maintain a constant pace; I will go out and give it everything and hope we can have a good battle on the track tomorrow.”
— Tyco Suzuki Report
Josh Brookes will start tomorrow’s opening British Superbike race at Snetterton in Norfolk from the front row of the grid after qualifying his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 in third place earlier today.
His team-mate PJ Jacobsen, who is making his Snetterton 300 BSB debut, narrowly missed out on the third and final qualifying session and will start race one from row three in eleventh position.
Josh Brookes: “We have some improvements and changes to make before tomorrow’s first race, and even though I’m not yet lapping as quick as I did here last year, we did make progress during the three qualifying sessions. The front row is where we need to be, so it’s just a matter of starting well and read the race from there. The boys have been giving me a hard time about ‘some rugby match’ that was going on earlier today, but I suppose they should be happy as it’s taken them about 15 years to beat Australia!”
PJ Jacobsen: “The session went okay for me. I spoke to Josh about some of the problems I was having and he has given me good advice. In saying that, my consistency was pretty good and I think once we sort out the problems in morning warm-up we’ll be fine.”
In the opening British Supersport race of the weekend, Taylor Mackenzie fought his way back after a sluggish start to finish 11th on his Tyco Suzuki GSX-R600, just behind series leader before the weekend, Stuart Easton. The young Scottish rider’s pace improved as the race progressed and he is now looking forward to tomorrow’s second outing over 15 laps. He starts from row three just in front of fellow Scottish rider Easton and reigning champion Glen Richards.
Taylor Mackenzie: “I got caught up a little at the start of the race but enjoyed fighting my way up onto the back of Easton. I could possibly have taken 10th place on that last lap but made a little mistake in the second sector and lost about half a second. It sets me up well for tomorrow. I just need a strong start.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager: “We can’t complain about a front-row start for Josh tomorrow and PJ acquitted himself well in his first qualifying at Snetterton. We have a few things to try in morning warm-up with both riders but we’re quietly confident for tomorrow’s opening race. Taylor impressed me today in the closing stages of the Supersport race and if we can get him onto race pace that little bit quicker in tomorrow’s second outing, he is well capable of a top result.”
