HASLAM HAPPY WITH FIFTH PLACE ON KYALAMI SUPERBIKE GRID - Printable Version +- TT Website Forum (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums) +-- Forum: Isle of Man TT Website (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=3) +--- Forum: Other Race Meetings - MotoGP, WSB & BSB, Irish Roads etc - (https://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: HASLAM HAPPY WITH FIFTH PLACE ON KYALAMI SUPERBIKE GRID (/showthread.php?tid=9151)

HASLAM HAPPY WITH FIFTH PLACE ON KYALAMI SUPERBIKE GRID - Malcolm - 15-05-2010 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." Final WSB qualifying: 1 Crutchlow (GBR-Yamaha) 1:37.243, 2 Toseland (GBR-Yamaha) 1:37.260, 3 Checa (ESP-Ducati) 1:37.296, 4 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 1:37.368, 5 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare) 1:37.401, 6 Smrz (CZE-Ducati) 1:37.561. 10 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare) 1:38.875. Meeting Schedule Sunday (GMT+2) 09.20-09.40 WSBK WARM UP 09.50-10.10 W SUPERSPORT WARM UP 10.20 LOCAL 1000 RACE (12 LAPS KM. 51.150) 11.10-11.30 PIT WALK PIT WALK 12.00 WSBK RACE 1 (24 LAPS KM. 102.312) 13.30 W SUPERSPORT RACE (23 LAPS KM. 98.049) 14.20 LOCAL 600 RACE (11 LAPS KM. 46.893) 15.30 WSBK RACE 2 (24 LAPS KM. 102.312) 16.45 LOCAL 1000 RACE (12 LAPS KM. 51.150)