Jerez World SBK | Aprilia’s Giugliano Tops Friday Practice

2013 Jerez World Superbike Friday Qualifying Practice Results

The final round of the 2013 World Superbike Championship got underway Friday at the Jerez circuit in Spain.

When the first qualifying practice wrapped up, four Aprilia RSV4 superbikes were in the top five. Leading the way under sunny conditions was Althea Racing Aprilia’s Davide Giugliano, who led Q1 with a 1:42.374 around the 2.7-mile circuit containing 13 turns.

Giugliano took the provisional pole with his best lap that arrived with six minutes remaining in Q1. Giugliano, who crashed in the early part of qualifying 1, was 0.267 of a second quicker than BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Marco Melandri, and 0.382 of a second quicker than Aprilia Racing Team’s Eugene Laverty.

Davide Giugliano (Althea Aprilia Racing RSV4 Superbike) says: “A fantastic start on a technical and difficult track. I haven’t completed many kilometres on this track and I must say that it wasn’t easy to get to grips with. This morning I worked hard with my team to find a good setting and in the afternoon we made some changes to my RSV4, that allowed me push harder and obtain first place in the classification. I hope we can continue like this all weekend and stay ahead, maintaining our concentration levels.”

Fourth went to Red Devils Aprilia’s Toni Elias, the Moto2 Champion who led the first practice session on Friday. Elias also suffered a crash a turn 12 of Jerez, but was able to rejoin the grid. Taking fit was Aprilia Racing Team’s Sylvain Guintoli.

Next up was FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s Leon Camier, the GSX-R 1000 pilot 0.562 of a second behind Giugliano. Camier was 0.178 of a second quicker than the man who finished seventh in Qualifying 1 at Jerez Superbike, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes. The Brit, who finished a half a point behind the now retired Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) in last year’s World Superbike Championship, is the current points leader.

Sykes currently has 411 points, 38 ahead of Laverty, and 39 ahead of Guintoli. with 50 points remaining, Sykes can possibly clinch his first-ever World SBK title with a win during the first race of the double header.

Rounding out the top 10 were one event rider Lorenzo Lanzi (Mesaroli Transports A.S. Ducati),  BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Chaz Davies, and FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s Jules Cluzel.

The 20-rider grid returns to the Jerez circuit Saturday for additional practice ahead of Superpole.

Jerez World Superbike Championship Qualifying 1 Results:

1. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’42.374

2. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’42.641

3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’42.756

4. Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’42.782

5. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’42.906

6. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’42.936

7. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’43.114

8. Lorenzo Lanzi (Mesaroli Transports A.S.) Ducati 1098R 1’43.162

9. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’43.170

10. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’43.240

11. Xavi Fores (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale 1’43.262

12. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale 1’43.383

13. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’43.721

14. Broc Parkes (Monster Energy Yamaha – Yart) Yamaha YZF R1 1’43.786

15. Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1’43.821

16. Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’43.879

17. Michel Fabrizio (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 1’43.958

18. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’44.102

19. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale 1’44.248

20. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 1’45.328