Yamaha Motor Italia's Noriyuki Haga will start tomorrow's race at the front of the pack.
Noriyuki Haga continues to be the man at Magny-Cours as the Yamaha Motor Italia rider topped the timesheets today in France. Last year Haga doubled at Magny-Cours and almost snuck the title away from James Toseland. This year there again is the same sense of urgency for Haga, albeit with much larger odds to overcome.
"I'm doing very well in this period and I'm very happy for pole position, but the situation this weekend was not so good, it was raining and dry, and I cannot find the right settings but that situation is the same for everybody. I just have to check another setting for tomorrow and then I'll be ready," Haga said.
Joining Haga on the front row is
Alstare Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto had a good day in France, finishing second-fastest.
Alstare Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto, who posted his best results of the season with a second-fastest finish. Nieto finished just ahead of Ducati Xerox's Troy Bayliss, who only has to ride smart and finish races to wrap up the title.
"I'm looking forward to good races tomorrow. We've had very mixed conditions so far and finally we saw some sun this afternoon but I hope it will stay like dry overnight because the track is staying wet for a long time. I plan to pull the reigns in a bit tomorrow and calm myself down and get two good results," Bayliss said.
The final slot on the front row went to Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's Carlos Checa. The top four riders all lapped under 1:39 so if it stays dry, then
Ducati Xerox's Troy Bayliss can wrap up the title with a good showing tomorrow.
expect some very competitive racing.
The man closest to Bayliss in the WSBK standings, Yamaha Motor Italia's Troy Corser, was on pace for a front row finish before crashing out on the final turn. Corser will start tomorrow's race from the 12th position.
World Superbike Magny-Cours Superpole Results -
1. 41 Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'38.444
2. 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'38.574
3. 21 Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1'38.666
4. 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.765
5. 44 Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.349
6. 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'39.480
7. 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'39.514
8. 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'39.606
9. 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1'39.627
10. 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'39.957
11. 111 Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'40.006
12. 11 Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 0.000
13. 194 Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'40.147
14. 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.149
15. 34 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.631
16. 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.282
17. 32 Bauer M. (AUT) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.848
18. 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.036
19. 38 Nakatomi S. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'43.139
20. 86 Badovini A. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'43.244
21. 55 Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'43.851
22. 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'44.903
23. 9 Walker C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.064
24. 73 Zaiser C. (AUT) Yamaha YZF-R1 1'45.095
25. 13 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'45.490
26. 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1'45.660
27. 69 Silva I. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.976
28. 88 Aoyama S. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.082
