Either Way, Bayliss Is The Master Of Misano
Sun Herald
Sunday June 17, 2007
TROY Bayliss quickly got to grips with the new track layout at the Misano circuit on Friday as he put his Ducati on provisional pole for round eight of the world superbike championship.
The Australian lapped the San Marino circuit in one minute, 36.479 seconds, less than one-tenth of a second ahead of compatriot Troy Corser on a Yamaha. The reigning world champion's domination at Misano will come as no surprise to seasoned observers. Bayliss is aiming for his fifth win at the 4.18kilometre circuit, while Corser has claimed three pole positions and 13 podium finishes at Misano. On a circuit that has been reversed for 2007, championship leader James Toseland of Britain failed to match his pole position-winning pace at last year's race by finishing the day in seventh place on the Ten Kate Honda.Toseland is eager for a good result at Misano to extend his 23-point lead in the riders' championship and admitted to feeling positive about his bike's potential, despite finishing over a second behind Bayliss in 1:37.522. "I'm pretty happy with today," Toseland said. "We haven't really found a completely comfortable set-up yet and there's still a long way to go."The reversal of the track direction did not hinder the pace of Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama, who bagged the third-fastest time despite no previous experience on the new layout. Ducati's Ruben Xaus completed the front row in fourth place. Corser's teammate Noriyuki Haga, who is lying second in the championship behind Toseland, finished the first qualifying session at the head of the second row on the grid, just edging Spaniard Fonsi Nieto (Kawasaki) into sixth place. Honda's Michel Fabrizio broke the timing beam fractionally slower than Toseland to claim eighth, while Regis Laconi (Kawasaki) and Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) completed the top 10.The top 16 riders in final qualifying overnight progress to the "Superpole" shootout to determine the pole-sitter for today's two races. More motor sport: Page 94
© 2007 Sun Herald