2011 World SBK
After leading the first free practice and second timed qualifying sessions for Round 9 of the 2011 World Superbike Championship at Silverstone, the American John Hopkins returned to dominate form in Superpole. But the Wildcard rider not only took the pole position for Sunday’s races, he also set a new track recor.
The Samsung Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 rider posted a 2:04.041, but only 0.027 of a second behind Hopkins was Yamaha World Superbike’s Eugene Laverty.
Rounding out the front row for Sunday’s Silverstone SBK will be Alitalia Aprilia’s Leon Camier and the current WSBK points leader, Althea Racing Ducati’s Carlos Checa.
Heading up the second row will be Sylvain Guintoli on the Effenbert Ducati 1198R. The Frenchman will be joined by Laverty’s teammate Marco Melandri, Michel Fabrizio on the Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 and Noriyuki Haga on the Pata Racing Aprilia RSV4.
As for the reigning World Superbike Champion, Alitalia Aprilia’s Max Biaggi crashed in the first of three superpole sessions, and took his worst starting position of the season – 11th.
2011 World Superbike: Silverstone Superpole (Qualifying) Results:
1. Hopkins (Suzuki) 2’04.0
2. Laverty (Yamaha) 2’04.0
3. Camier (Aprilia) 2’04.3
4. Checa (Ducati) 2’04.3
5. Guintoli (Ducati) 2’05.4
6. Melandri (Yamaha) 2’05.6
7. Fabrizio (Suzuki) 2’05.9
8. Haga (Aprilia) 2’05.7