2015 Sepang SBK Superpole Results
The Sepang International Circuit debuted on the World Superbike calendar last year, challenging the grid with a new layout and the steamy Malaysian climate. Sepang was a known circuit in Grand Prix racing, and riders with MotoGP experience were immediately up to speed. The 2014 SBK results showed this relationship; the would-be 2014 SBK Champion Sylvain Guintoli earned Superspole and a pair of seconds on race day, and Marco Melandri doubled.
Sepang returned to the World SBK calendar this week for the second-straight year, and wildcard rider Max Biaggi topped Friday’s rain-plagued sessions. The rain wasn’t an issue during Saturday’s Superpole; this time it was heat as the riders encountered hot 93-degree (F) temps.
Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes didn’t seem affected by the high temps as he piloted his Ninja ZX-10R to his 28th career Superpole win. The 2013 World SBK Champion earned the pole position with a lap of 2:03.240. To put this into perspective, the Best Lap at Sepang is a 2:03.002 (Guintoli, 2014).
Joining Sykes on the front row for Sunday’s two 16-lap races are Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils’ Jordi Torres and Pata Honda World Superbike’s Sylvain Guintoli. As for Guintoli, this is his first front-row start of 2015 World SBK.
Following 2015 Sepang SBK Superpole, Tom Sykes said: “I had a great start to the weekend as my wife had just given birth to a baby daughter. On track we were a little bit behind to start with as we had a big schedule of work this weekend and had to compromise on it because of the session we missed yesterday in the rain. That is the same for everybody so overall I am relatively happy. We did what we wanted for Superpole and did what we wanted to do in Free Practice 4.
“The bike settings came good and I was really happy for that. In FP3 we stayed on a harder tyre all session just to evaluate some things and we almost got caught out. On paper seventh at that point may have looked bad, but in reality it was not the case and we moved back up the order. I think tomorrow will be interesting and we do not look in bad shape, so I am relatively confident. The weather may be a bit hit and miss but we are set-up now for dry conditions.”
Heading up row two is the 43-year-old two-time SBK Champion Biaggi, who qualified ahead of Voltcom Crescent Suzuki’s Alex Lowes and the man who doubled at Laguna Seca two weeks ago, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK’s Chaz Davies.
Qualifying on row three are the current points leader, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea, Aprilia Racing Team’s Leon Haslam and Althea Racing Ducati’s Niccolo Canepa, respectively.
Canepa’s teammate Matteo Baiocco qualified in 10th, followed by Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) with as it stands Italian Ayrton Badovini in 12th, the BMW Motorrad Italia rider has however been declared unfit and will take no further part in the weekend after his crash in FP4, World SBK reports.
The riders return to the Sepang circuit Sunday for round 10 of the 2015 World SBK Championship.
2015 Sepang Superbike on TV
beIN will broadcast 2015 Sepang Superbike from 11 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. ET Sunday, August 2.
2015 Sepang SBK Superpole Results:
1 .Tom Sykes, 2m03.240s: GBR KAWASAKI Kawasaki Racing Team
2. Jordi Torres, 2m03.510s: ESP APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils
3. Sylvain Guintoli, 2m03.836s: FRA HONDA Pata Honda World Superbike Team
4. Max Biaggi, 2m03.948s: ITA APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils
5. Alex Lowes, 2m04.018s: GBR SUZUKI Voltcom Crescent Suzuki
6. Chaz Davies, 2m04.179s: GBR DUCATI Aruba.it Racing-Ducati Superbike Team
7. Jonathan Rea, 2m04.207s: GBR KAWASAKI Kawasaki Racing Team
8. Leon Haslam, 2m04.214s: GBR APRILIA Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils
9. Niccolo Canepa, 2m04.654s: ITA DUCATI Althea Racing
10. Matteo Baiocco, 2m05.000s: ITA DUCATI Althea Racing
