Eugene Laverty was on flying form today completing the second qualifying day at Magny Cours in second place, securing a front row start on the French grid for tomorrows two races. The sweltering heat and unusually high track temperature of 42° proved difficult on rubber in the afternoons superpole knockout. Laverty performed impeccably to shoot straight to the top of the time sheets in the first session on a race tyre, being bumped to fifth in the closing minutes as 14 of the 16 riders switched to qualifiers and went out to improve their times.
Team-mate Melandri used both a race tyre and a qualifier to take him through to the second heat in 11th place. Both Yamaha riders comfortably qualified for the last session with Laverty in sixth place and Melandri in seventh. The third and final heat saw the Northern Irish rider clocking in an impressive 137.600, beating the previous best lap record before fellow Irishman Rea, beat him to pole by just 0.110 of a second. Melandri, having already used his sets of qualifiers was unable to secure a front row position and will start tomorrows races from eighth place on the grid.
Both Yamaha World Superbike riders successfully completed this mornings cooler qualifying practice having made further progress with the rear set up on their R1 machines. Melandri lapped the track for the first time ever yesterday, yet managed to set the fastest time in the todays session, having taken over a second off yesterdays lap time.
Eugene Laverty
“This was the first place I tested the R1 last year and was strong immediately so I was really looking forward to coming back here again. Its always nice to go back to a track you know well and have had good results before, it helps gain confidence. I was hoping to get the pole position but Rea just beat me to it so Ill be aiming for that in Portimao, it would be nice to get aTissot watch before the end of the year. Id like to get another race win, its been a while since Monza, but Id be happy with rostrums as the last time I was up there was in Silverstone so Ill be aiming for two solid finishes on Sunday. ”
Marco Melandri
“Today was both a positive and a negative qualifying day. We made good progress with our race pace this morning in the second qualifying session, but just like in the last few rounds I have struggled with the qualifying tyres. Ill be starting tomorrows two races from the second row on the grid which means it wont be easy but Im confident that we have a more competitive package than we had in Imola. Ill do my best to get off to a good start and push through the pack hoping for a podium finish.”
Andrea Dosoli - Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager
“It was definitely a positive qualifying day for both riders. Eugene was impeccable in all 3 superpole sessions, saving the qualifying tyres for the second and third heats to secure his fourth 2nd place on the grid this year. In this mornings qualifying practice he demonstrated that he has a good race pace so I am confident that he will do two very strong races tomorrow. Marco made a leap in the right direction today; he improved over one second on yesterdays times, the fastest to lap the track in the second qualifying practice. He has a good race pace also and a second row start isnt dramatic. I am sure he will be competitive and fighting for a podium in both races tomorrow.”
