Dream start for Team Alstare Suzuki.

After yesterday's trying weather conditions, the final day of qualifying saw a big improvement and it was virtually dry in both sessions today.

And the result for Team Alstare Suzuki could not have been better, Katsuaki Fujiwara took pole position and team-mate Stephane Chambon took runners-up spot!

Kats posted a lap of 1 minute 32.044 seconds -- a time fast enough to place him in the top fourteen in the Superbike race and proof of how well the Alstare Suzuki Supersport bikes are going.

"I know I'm racing 'at home', but really I don't feel any extra pressure," said Fujiwara. "A lot of my friends are here and I'm having a good time. Of course, it's always good to get pole position, but anywhere on the front row would've been OK.

"Sugo is quite a difficult track, but I have ridden here many times, so I feel I know it quite well. Our Suzuki may be the oldest bike in the race, but the overall package is very good - thanks to all the good work the team have done. I have been very saddened because of the death of my good racing friend Kato this week and I want to have a good result for him."

"Last year I won this race," added Chambon, "and my team mate Kats was second and now we have started by being the two fastest in qualifying! Kats has been riding really well this season and he will be hard to beat tomorrow, but I'll be trying my very best.

"It's too early in the season for any team orders and my aim is to make up for missing the first race by scoring as many points as I can in all the remaining races. Tomorrow will be very interesting and I'm not saying that Kats and I will have it our own way, because there are too many good riders out there, but it would be great to get another 1-2 and preferably the same as last year!"