Tommy Hill will start Sunday's fifth round of the British Superbike Championship at Mallory Park from the front row even though the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider and his team-mate Yukio Kagayama both crashed in the first session in the three-stage roll for pole, requiring extensive crash repairs before both riders would go on to secure P3 and P11 start positions.

Tommy Hill:

"Those were some of the scariest moments of the year so far. My GSX-R was quite beaten up after the crash at Edwinas on my seventh lap, and it was so tense for me not knowing whether the team could repair it or if I was going to have to start tomorrow from P20. The way the bike looked when I got it back I honestly thought that it would be me done. But the Worx Crescent Suzuki boys were brilliant in getting it back together, all done just four minutes into Q2. Now with a front row start I should be on for two good races tomorrow to try and keep that advantage in the standings."

Yukio Kagayama:

"That was not the best from me and I still have some work to do on set-up in tomorrow's warm-up. For me, I need to get a better feel for corner entry so I can push the front more without crashing. I was so pleased the team got the bike repaired so quickly after my crash and this allowed me to progress into Q2 as I got back on track and set a qualifying time just before Q1 finished. I almost had a place in Q3 as well but in the last minute another rider went just that bit faster. P11 means a third row start for me and for sure that means much hard work tomorrow. I will do my best."

Jack Valentine - Team Manager:

"That was one tough day. At one point we had both bikes in the garage needing crash repairs with just minutes to get the jobs done and both bikes back on track. The technical team were incredible, they train for moments like these and all the practice paid off as they kept both our riders on track and in the running. Tommy taking another front row qualifying position was a great reward for all their hard work.

"It was quite an unexpectedly frantic end to two days of practice. Tommy has been top-three both days, doing what he does best. For Yukio it's been a tough return to the track, he started fast - fifth in the first practice - but has lost places as the sessions went by. He's struggling with his set-up but we're looking to try a new setting for him in the morning. He's a born fighter though, so we can expect him to be in the thick of the action come tomorrow."


MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Qualifying:

1. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 55.630s
2. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.281s
3. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.347s
4. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +0.367s
5. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +0.430s
6. Andrew Pitt (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.793s
7. Karl Harris (East Coast Racing Yamaha) +0.891s
8. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.027s
9. Chris Walker (CW Racing Suzuki) +1.109s
11. Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suz