QUALIFYING 1 Nürburgring 13/06/2008
Yamaha World Supersport Team rider Broc Parkes soared to the top of the first day qualifying list at the Nürburgring in Germany, setting a time over 0.7 seconds faster than the next best rider. His team-mate Fabien Foret went sixth quickest, after making a small mistake on his final fast lap of the day.
The first WSS session, free practice held this morning, was conducted in dry but cool conditions, a lucky break for all as rain came and went in the run-up to this the sixth round of the championship. Parkes had also been fastest in that session, putting some degree of circuit knowledge to good use.
Times were slashed in the marginally warmer official afternoon session, as Parkes led the field into the second period of qualifying. A good day one time is a real advantage as the immediate weather forecast is for unsettled conditions tomorrow, making for a high risk of a wet final qualifying session.
Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) could not find a way into the top ten on day one, but the still-injured David De Gea (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) overcame his slow healing right leg fracture to secure an early ninth place on the provisional grid. David Salom is racing back in Spain this weekend instead of his regular slot on the WSS Starting grid, with Aussie rider Jeremy Crowe taking his place and finishing a respectable 20th.
Broc Parkes (1st - 2'00.743 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)
"I have been here before, running on the national circuit, and that was definitely a help this morning. The bike is working well on a pretty good set-up and we tried a few things through the session to make it even better. We found a good suspension setting and near the end we put a new tyre in and made a good lap time.
I think tomorrow we should go about a second faster, because it was a bit windy at the end of the session. It has been a good first day and the bike is getting to where I want it."
Fabien Foret (6th - 2'01.951 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)
"A busy day because of the weather changing and I need to find a better reference point on the track, for braking and so on. I guess that is the same for everyone. I need to set things up a bit better but we are not so far away from everyone except Broc.
He knows part of the track and made a very fast lap. I am not so worried about this I am more concerned to be faster than the other ones. I made a mistake on the last corner of my fastest lap so maybe there could have been an even better time."
Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team)
"Broc is fit and feeling well and we are happy that it is dry. Broc knows the way round because he has raced on the shorter national track here, so that is why he has been up to speed quite so fast. Fabien feels well too and we must be pleased with the first day.
Our target time is not clear because no bikes have raced on this layout but I would imagine that around two minutes would be a realistic target and Broc is basically there. But like normal, race pace is going to be slower."
Massimo Roccoli (14th - 2'03.218 seconds - Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni)
"I found very little grip and drive from the track surface today and we paid the price in the lap time. Tomorrow, if it is dry, we will try different gearing and new suspension settings to find the missing time."
2008 WSS Germany - Nürburgring 13/06/2008 Qualifying 1
1 Broc Parkes Yamaha AUS 2'0.742
2 Craig Jones Honda GBR 2'1.529
3 Mark Aitchinson Triumph AUS 2'1.659
4 Andrew Pitt Honda AUS 2'1.797
5 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 2'1.909
6 Fabien Foret Yamaha FRA 2'1.951
7 Matthieu Lagrive Honda FRA 2'2.154
8 Barry Veneman Suzuki NED 2'2.157
9 David De Gea Yamaha ESP 2'2.363
10 Didier Van Keymeulen Suzuki BEL 2'2.386
11 Joan Lascorz Honda ESP 2'2.666
12 Joshua Brookes Honda AUS 2'2.770
13 Arne Tode Triumph GER 2'2.960
14 Massimo Roccoli Yamaha ITA 2'3.218
15 Chris Walker Kawasaki GBR 2'3.487
- Yamaha Racing -
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