WSS: Flying Fujiwara.
Katsuaki Fujiwara aboard his Althea Honda proved he was back on top form at one of his favourite circuits by taking the fastest time in the opening qualifying session. His time of 2mins 03.258secs was less than 0.2 seconds from the previous fastest lap.
The early formbook was also written by the irrepressible Gianluca Nannelli riding for Team Caracchi Ducati SC 749R who was second; only 0.219 seconds from Fujiwara and his new Honda CBR600RR.
Katsuaki Fujiwara aboard his Althea Honda proved he was back on top form at one of his favourite circuits by taking the fastest time in the opening qualifying session. His time of 2mins 03.258secs was less than 0.2 seconds from the previous fastest lap.
The early formbook was also written by the irrepressible Gianluca Nannelli riding for Team Caracchi Ducati SC 749R who was second; only 0.219 seconds from Fujiwara and his new Honda CBR600RR.
The Hannspree Ten Kate Honda pairing of Kenan Sofuoglu and Sebastien Charpentier filled the overnight front row, while the still-developing GIL Kawasaki of Fabien Foret, the 2002 Champion, scored a more than creditable fifth place in a line-up of 34 riders.
Kevin Curtain on the Yamaha SSP Racing machine was the R6 filling in a Kawasaki sandwich, as he edged out Pere Riba on the GIL Kawasaki for seventh, just 0.691 seconds from Fujiwara after only one day of action. Curtain's team-mate Broc Parkes was eighth, the last rider less than a second from Fujiwara.
Despite the first unofficial practice session for Supersport being twice stopped and delayed to clean up the track surface, the afternoon timed session went ahead as planned, with only one rider from the 34 possibles outside the qualifying limit.
