2014 World Superbike – New Superpole Format Mirrors MotoGP Qualifying
Kawasaki Racing’s Tom Sykes, the 2013 World SBK Champion
2014 World SBK Qualifying Changes
The Tissot Superpole format has changed for 2014 World Superbike. Instead of three sessions that dwindle down the top-qualifying riders, there will be a new two-session format.
The Superpole format is now similar to MotoGP’s qualifying, and free practice will play a larger role in the battle for pole position.
Following practice, the top 20 riders will battle in two, 15-minute Superpole sessions. The top 10 of those riders will go directly to Superpole 2. The other 10 will battle in Superpole 1, with the top two riders of that session heading to Superpole 2.
Those 12 riders will then battle for the top 12 qualifying positions, and the remaining grid will line up as they qualified based on their best times in Superpole 1 and free practice.
World SBK says “This change is part of an effort to make WSBK and GP Sporting Rules as similar as possible, to create a common ground in terms of regulations that can help circuit organizers, marshals and everyone involved in both series.”
2014 World SBK Tissot-Superpole – New Procedure
- The top 20 riders classified after the Free Practice 1, 2 and 3 sessions will take part in Tissot-Superpole
- The 10 fastest riders will be seeded directly into to Superpole 2 while the riders classified 11th to 20th will take part in Superpole 1
- The fastest two riders in Superpole 1 will progress to Superpole 2, making a total of 12 riders competing for the first 12 grid positions
- Both Superpole sessions will run for 15 minutes each. There will be a break of 10 minutes in between Superpole 1 and Superpole 2
