Trying to stop Mr.
Superpole aka Tom Sykes when he’s on a hot lap trying to take home another pole position and a Tissot watch is almost immposible, which his 13th career Superpole can testify to.
The big question will once again be whether Sykes’ Kawasaki be able to go the distance at Assen without fading, halfway or three quarters way through the race as he tends to do? This time it looks like the team has found a solution in order to not to wear out the tires too soon at least judging by Sykes comments post Superpole.
Standings leader Sylvain Guintoli looks to be pretty confident at Assen, unlike the way he was at his bogey track at Aragon and there he finished with two second place podiums.
Aprilia team mate Eugene Laverty seems to be slightly less confident as he still has to figure out if the tires he is going to use that will last the distance, especially if the temperatures should be radically different between the first and second race.
Jonathan Rea will be having an extra motivation in tomorrow’s double header as it’s his team’s home track and he’ll want try to build on the fabulous record of victories that he has at Assen.
A rumor floating around Assen is that Maxime Berger could be replacing injured Leon Haslam in the next races.
Don’t count out Loris Baz and Davide Giugliano, these two could be the dark horses and steal a podium from the either of the above riders.
Tom Sykes – 1st“The ZX-10R is working well and I was quite happy with my race pace, so when we put the Pirelli qualifying tyre in it was even better.
I am happy to be on the front row and even better to be in pole position.
I just hope we can have some dry conditions tomorrow.
Our decisions are pretty much made on what settings to run but we do have a little bit of discussion to have later, just to confirm things, but I think we know what to do.
We put 22 laps on a tyre earlier and were very surprised and happy with the results, so when I am on clear track I can do what I want and I know what’s needed.
Tomorrow we will be faced with a bit of a fight maybe but if we can have some good luck I am confident.
” Jonathan Rea – 2nd“First of all, I’m just excited to be back in a front row press conference – the last time was the end of last season.
I’m looking forward to the races, though; my guys have done some work and I’m feeling very, very comfortable on the bike but we’ve had minimal time so far to put distance on a race tyre.
I think we have two options we can have a look at but a lot will depend on the temperature tomorrow.
I thought I could go with Tom [Sykes] this weekend and really push, but I had a big front slide in turn three and put my heart rate through the roof, so I nursed it home.
Superpole’s not really my thing, but I felt really confident at the start of Superpole 3 and went out first on a race tyre.
Anyway, it’s great to be on the front row for the team’s home race and I just want to send a ‘get well soon’ message to my team-mate, Leon [Haslam], who had a big crash on Friday.
”Eugene Laverty – 3rd “I’m really happy to be on the front row.
Today I thought it would be difficult after the free practice sessions because, besides Sykes and myself, Rea and Sylvain were also quite quick.
In the end when Tom puts the qualifying tyre on he’s basically unbeatable and Jonny put in a perfect lap, so I’ll be starting from the third spot on the grid.
Tomorrow the races will also be difficult since today is the only day we’ve been able to test in the dry.
Understanding how the tyres will perform and how to manage them over the race distance will make the difference.
We’ll have some work to do this evening and during the warm ups tomorrow morning to be ready for the starting grid”.
Sylvain Guintoli – 4th“This time I was just a shout from the front row.
My feeling with the qualifying tyre is getting better with each race.
I’m really happy in any case, as it is always important to start from the front two rows.
I’m right behind Tom, who is a strong starter, so I’ll just need to follow him and then overtake him! All joking aside, I’m confident for tomorrow.
Usually my pace gets better during the race compared to qualifying sessions, as we saw at Phillip Island and Aragon.
Let’s hope the final result will also be similar”.
Loris Baz – 5th “I did my best time with a race tyre right at the end.
I went straight on and with my second lap on the qualifier but the grip was not really good so I came in to put on a race tyre.
I was sure I could improve on my previous time so I went out and did my best lap of the weekend on a race tyre.
I really like this track and because it is not so much stop and go, it feels nice and smooth to ride.
It is more like Phillip Island than Aragon so I am looking forward to the race now.
I had a big crash yesterday, landed on my leg and hip, so I cannot really push yet in right hand corners.
I have to do a lot of the work moving around on the bike with my arm, which means that it is getting tired before my leg.
I will take some time in the Clinica Mobile tonight to get a massage be ready for the races.
I feel good about tomorrow.
I am not sure where I can be but I will do my best.
”Davide Giugliano – 6thEverything went well and we achieved the result we wanted.
We shot very strong with the race tires and reached a good second row.
I was not able to fully use the soft tires, but my result in Superpole satisfied me and I´m confident for the races tomorrow.
I will face two difficult races, both physically and mentally, but I think I am not far from the fastest riders and I am convinced I can be competitive with them.
I would like to thank my team, who once again today have done a fantastic job.
Carlos Checa – 8th“In the third phase I missed a gear in an important and fast point of the track.
I tried to make a second fast lap but I wasn’t able to improve with that qualifier.
Maybe my position should have been fourth or fifth today but it’s ok anyway.
We have to understand which direction to take in order to secure two strong results tomorrow.
Today was our first day in the dry with a bike that’s never been ridden here before and so I don’t think it’s gone badly considering.
We’re concentrating on tomorrow, although it’s impossible to predict how the races will go.
No-one’s really done a lot of consecutive laps today and so pace is something of a question mark.
We’ll see which group we’re with during the races and do all we can to fight.
”Jules Cluzel – 10th“I am a little bit disappointed because I think it was possible to be in Superpole 3.
I made a couple of mistakes with the qualifying tyre, because it caused some chatter in the left corners and I nearly crashed twice, so I had to stop pushing.
My best lap-time was with a race tyre and it was quite good – like at Aragon – but with the qualifier I am sure I could have gone faster and made the final session.
I am looking to improve my feeling on the bike tomorrow because I need to be more consistent after a few laps, so we need to do some work tonight.
I hope that we can improve things for Sunday and have two good races.
”Ayrton Badovini – 11th“Unfortunately I hurt my fingers in the crash during practice.
I hoped it wouldn’t be a problem in the Superpole but I had a glove that was really rubbing against my hand and making the problem worse.
I was also riding a bike built from the rolling chassis of course, so it was a rush for my team to get it ready in time, they worked so hard today.
I lapped quite well with the qualifying tyre and if it hadn’t been for the physical problem I think I could have done much better in the second phase of the Superpole.
Anyway the work completed today gives me confidence for tomorrow’s races – I’ll do my best from the fourth row.
” Chaz Davies – 13th“The free practice went well.
We made a step forward with the bike so I was a little bit happier and we were continuing to make progress.
But then unfortunately, in Superpole as soon as I left the pits I could feel that something wasn’t quite right.
I tried to do one quick lap but in the end it was not good enough to get me through to Superpole 2.
I am not sure what the problem was, the guys are looking into it now.
Obviously I am very disappointed because it is not easy to pass at Assen and it is going to be two very difficult races tomorrow.
Starting so far back with my rivals in the front two rows, it is easy to lose some time in the first few laps so we need to make progress in the early part of the race.
I think tomorrow we just have to try and get as many points as possible.
” Leon Camier – 19th“Considering how many laps I’ve done – and that last session was only a few – I was actually quite happy to be ninth quickest in the free practice and be only 0.
6 seconds off the fastest time.
It feels like I’m not meant to ride this weekend, with the way things have gone, but I still have the races to come! We have some options for settings and we’re not sure which way to go.
We have one that I normally run and another that I have been trying which we think has some potential, so we will need to look at things and make the decision, but from last on the grid there is not a lot I can do and it will be pretty difficult to get a good result.
I have to see if my knee can stand up to race distance as well though, because I’ve only done four laps at the maximum before it has started hurting.
I don’t know if I can do the whole race or not, I’ll give it my best and just have to see what happens.
”