Albert Arenas topped FIM Supersport World Championship Superpole qualifying Friday at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. Riding his AS BLU CRU Racing Team Yamaha YZF-R9 on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard lapped the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) course in 1:53.142 to top the field of 34 riders and earn pole position.
Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise was the best of the rest with a 1:53.157 on his Eastroc Evan Bros ZXMOTO 820RR, and Roberto Garcia earned the third and final spot on the front row with a lap time of 1:53.483 on his GMT94 Yamaha YZF-R9.
wssp superpole
More from a press release issued by WSBK:
SNATCHED AT THE END: Arenas pips Debise to WorldSSP pole by just 0.015s. The Spaniard struck gold at home on Friday for his second pole of his rookie WorldSSP campaign.
The FIM Supersport World Championship popped the cork on the action in Alcaniz with their Tissot Superpole session at the vaunted MotorLand Aragon. Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) took pole position for himself on Friday afternoon, landing atop the timesheet to aid him in his hopeful title lead defence. He finished just ahead of Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing), who pulled out a late lap of his own, and Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) to form Race 1’s front row.
ARENAS IN THE FINAL SECONDS
Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) managed the scorching 52º C track temperatures better than the rest and set a buzzer-beating 1’53.483s time to take pole as time expired on the session to start from P1 for the second time in this rookie season. Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Factory Evan Bros Racing) looked to struggle at the Spanish circuit where he won his maiden WorldSSP race last season, until he took P2 with a 1’53.157s, earned with mere seconds left in the session. Roberto Garcia (GMT94 Yamaha) looks determined to make his speed felt on the Championship standings after riding well but suffering five DNFs in six races. He set a 1’53.483s lap with 17 minutes left to sit provisional pole but slid down two places in the final moments to earn P3.
FROM THE GRAVEL TO THE SECOND ROW
Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) and Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) kept their composure and recovered from Turn 1 crashes to finish fourth and fifth fastest on the back of their 1’53.537s and 1’53.616s times respectively. Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) converted his Free Practice P3 earlier in the day to a P6-earning 1’53.642s time in the Superpole session Friday afternoon, tying his best WorldSSP qualification earned at Assen earlier this season.
MASIA TO LEAD THE THIRD ROW
Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) sent himself to P7 with a 1’53.698s effort, from which he will hope to propel himself to his first podium in five races. Behind him, Aldi Mahendra (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) sent himself up into P2 on his second lap, yet he slid down the order as the session progressed, finishing in P8. Matteo Ferrari (WRP Racing) fought for a top-three spot in the session; however, a Turn 1 crash cut his momentum, and he finished in P9, just over half a hundredth slower than the Indonesian. Rounding off the top ten, Oli Bayliss (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) kept his recent run of improved form rolling as his 1’53.873s time placed him P10; however, he was handed a six-place grid penalty by FIM WorldSBK Stewards for his second offence this season of slow riding during the session. As a result, Mattia Casadei (D34G WorldSSP Racing Team) was promoted from P11 to start in P10 in Race 1.
TURN 1 TAKES ITS TOLL
Turn 1 proved to be a tricky problem for the riders in the session, seeing crashes from: Can Oncu, wild card rider Kadir Erbay (I+Dent Racing Team), Murcian rider Borja Jimenez (WRP Racing), his teammate Matteo Ferrari, Tom Booth-Amos, Filippo Farioli (VFT Racing), and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha).
The top six from the WorldSSP Tissot Superpole session, full results here!
- Albert Arenas (AS BLU CRU Racing Team) 1’53.142s
- Valentin Debise (EASTROC ZXMOTO Evan Bros Factory) +0.015s
- Roberto García (GMT94 Yamaha) +0.341s
- Can Oncu (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.395s
- Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) +0.474s
- Alessandro Zaccone (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) +0.500s
Tune in tomorrow for a tripleheader of Race 1 action WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 30% off!
