Team Suzuki Alstare rider Michel Fabrizio will start tomorrow's third round of the World Superbike Championship at Assen in 13th position after getting held up in today's opening Superpole.

After clocking the fourth-fastest time yesterday at the Dutch circuit, the Italian failed to make Superpole 2 when fellow countryman Ayrton Badovini (BMW) remained on the racing line on his slow lap instead of moving over; Fabrizio was forced to check his speed and go off-line, losing his chance of getting into Superpole 2 by just one-100th-of-a-second.

Spaniard Carlos Checa (Ducati) took his third Superpole of the season with a lap of 1:35.293. Jakub Smrz (Ducati) took second, with Eugene Laverty (Yamaha) third and Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia) fourth.

Michel Fabrizio - 13th, 1:36.148:

"It was a great shame what happened at the end of the first Superpole because it ruined what would've probably been a place on the front two rows of the grid. My times on race tyres have been consistently-good and I was fairly confident of being on at least the second row. I was on a hot lap - towards the end of Superpole 1 - and was thinking that Superpole 2 would be no problem, but then I saw Badovini right on the racing line and had to change my direction: That small change was enough to lose the chance of getting into Superpole 2 and I was angry because he wasn't even on a fast lap. Racing is like that sometimes, but now it means I have a mountain to climb in the races tomorrow.

"It's a pity because I am pretty happy with my race set-up and know I can do consistently good times - but the problem is going to be my grid position. Starting from the fourth row of the grid is never easy because everybody is so competitive and it's going to be difficult to run with the leaders if I do not get good starts. So, my aim is to get the best starts I can and see how far up the field I can get in the first lap. It's going to be another tough day, but I am determined to fight hard and will do the very best I can."

Final Qualifying & Superpole:

1 Carlos Checa (ESP-Ducati) 1:35.292,
2 Jakub Smrz (CZ-Ducati) 1:35.560,
3 Eugene Laverty (GBR-Yamaha) 1:35.580,
4 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Aprilia) 1:35.920,
5 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda) 1:36.138,
6 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 1:36.302.
13 Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Suzuki Alstare) 1:36.148.