Ducati Xerox’s Troy Bayliss topped final qualifying in advance of this afternoon’s Superpole session in the return of the World Superbike Championship to the Nurburgring in Germany.
Bayliss lapped the 3.19-mile circuit in 1:56.598 minutes, a new circuit record for the track which has been lengthened since the last visit of World Superbike back in 1999.
German Max Neukirchner gave the home crowd a thrill by qualifying second. Neukirchner lapped in 1:57.124 mins., a gap of .526 secs. to Bayliss and in front of a very close pack. Second through 16th were all on the same second.
Neukirchner arrived for his home race a career best third in the championship.
Following Neukirchner, the next three riders were covered by .127 secs. Sterilgarda Go Eleven Max Biaggi (Duc) was just faster than Yamaha Motor Italia’s Nori Haga, Yamaha France Ipone GMT 94’s Sebastien Gimbert, and Biaggi’s teammate Ruben Xaus.
Yamaha Motor Italia’s Troy Corser was a close seventh followed by Ducati Xerox’s Michel Fabrizio, R.G. Team’s Lorenzo Lanzi (Duc), and Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse’s Regis Laconi.
Saturday Qualifying:
1. Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 1:56.598
2. Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1:57.124
3. Max Biaggi (Ducati) 1:57.185
4. Nori Haga (Yamaha) 1:57.252
5. Troy Corser (Yamaha) 1:57.257
6. Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha) 1:57.287
7. Ruben Xaus (Ducati) 1:57.312
8. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) 1:57.579
9. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) 1:57.597
10. Regis Laconi (Kawasaki)
Other:
27. Jason Pridmore (Honda) 2:00.465
