If Tom Sykes was already dominating in this morning’s free practice at Silverstone, this afternoon in the first qualifying practice the Kawasaki rider left everyone grasping for straws to come up with a solution in order to come even close his blistering pace.
Stopping the clock in 2′05.
355, before a crash at turn 1 took him out of the session, Sykes was the first and only rider to head under the 2.
06 barrier and he was virtually untouchable as he left Suzuki’s Leon Camier in second, but a massive 0.
881s adrift.
From Camier down, lap times were much tighter, with ten riders separated by less than six tenths of second.
Davide Giugliano ended up third again and still the fastest Aprilia rider despite a crash early into the session.
Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, less than a week after their gruelling endurance weekend at Suzuka, were fourth and fifth fastest, with just 0.
004s separating the two riders, and both just barely within a second from Sykes.
Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty made it into sixth, just ahead of Kawasaki’s Loris Baz and Marco Melandri.
Standing’s leader Sylvain Guintoli was ninth, while Jules Cluzel dropped into the top ten.
Ayrton Badovini was able to take 11th, while Alstare Ducati team mate Carlos Checa seems to be struggling this weekend, as he was 14th.
Michel Fabrizio from this morning’s third spot dropped all the way to 15th after a crash at turn 13.
2013 WSBK Silverstone QP11.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2′05.
3552.
Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2′06.
2363.
Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2′06.
3324.
Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 2′06.
3495.
Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 2′06.
3536.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2′06.
5397.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2′06.
5538.
Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 2′06.
5909.
Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2′06.
65610.
Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2′06.
71811.
Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2′06.
73512.
Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 2′06.
82613.
Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2′07.
51614.
Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 2′07.
54615.
Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2′07.
75316.
Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2′09.
12617.
Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 2′10.
47118.
Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 2′11.
866