Carlos Checa set the pace in this afternoon’s QP1 at Portimao.
The Althea Ducati rider had to work for it, as the top of the timesheet changed hands several times between Jonathan Rea, Sylvain Guintoli and Eugene Laverty in the 60 minute provisional pole session.
Checa put in 1.
43.
579 lap which was just enough to pip Eugene Laverty by 0.
087s, with lap times tight down to the 13th position.
Effenbert Liberty’s Sylvain Guintoli also had an impressive session, finishing third fastest ahead of Castrol Honda’s Jonathan Rea.
Recovering Max Biaggi clocked in at fifth and was little more than three tenths of a second off pace and the last rider to be in the 1.
43 bracket.
Joan Lascorz moved up to sixth after finishing 10th this morning and he was followed by Tom Sykes.
Marco Melandri made a tremendous jump forward shaving off more than a second from the earlier practice session to take 8th.
Noriyuki Haga was also another rider who jumped into the top ten with his 1.
44.
144 lap that gave him the 9th fastest time.
Closing out the top ten was Jakub Smrz.
WSBK Portimao QP1 results:1.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′43.
5792.
Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′43.
6663.
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′43.
8604.
Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 1′43.
8955.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′43.
9076.
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′44.
0307.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′44.
1118.
Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 1′44.
1129.
Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′44.
14410.
Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′44.
20111.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′44.
27812.
Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′44.
41013.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′44.
42614.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′44.
59815.
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 1′44.
63116.
Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1′44.
71517.
Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′45.
24318.
Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 1′45.
45419.
Javier Fores (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1′46.
07620.
Karl Muggeridge (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 1′46.
11621.
Joshua Waters (Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′46.
52622.
Santiago Barragan (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′46.
967
