Van der Mark on second row in Portugal

[totalmotorcycle]

Van der Mark on second row in #Portugal


Michael van der Mark set the sixth fastest time in today’s final qualifying session to secure a second row start for tomorrow’s sixth-round World Supersport championship race at Portimao in Portugal. Pole position went to Britain’s Sam Lowes.



The 20-year-old Dutch rider, who is in his rookie World Supersport year, benefitted from two dry sessions yesterday – the first dry Friday since round two at Aragon in April – and he was on the pace today after his crew made some further adjustments to his Pata Honda CBR600RR overnight.



Van der Mark's team-mate, Lorenzo Zanetti, however, suffered a big crash early in this afternoon’s second qualifying session at Portimao’s fast final turn. His crew faces a lengthy rebuild after his bike was badly damaged, but the 26-year-old Italian was happy to walk away with a sore shoulder.



However, Zanetti faces a tough challenge in tomorrow’s 20-lap race at the 4.592km Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, starting from 24th place on the grid.



Michael van der Mark – P6, 1m46.085s



We made a big improvement this morning and for this afternoon’s qualifying session we made some other changes on the bike. I was quite fast immediately and set my fastest lap of the weekend when we put in a new tyre. Our race pace is also good so I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. I think we can be in the top five again, so I’m hoping for some good weather and a good race.



Lorenzo Zanetti – P24, 1m47.430s



Fortunately, my body is OK – I went to the Clinica for an X-ray to check everything but there’s nothing broken, which is good. The crash happened when I shut the throttle in the last corner to avoid some slower riders, but I lost the front. It’s a shame because we had made some improvements and, on the lap that I crashed, the time and my position was better, too. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish the lap! I will have to start the race from a long way back, so I hope I can see the lights OK! My race is compromised, of course, but never say never, and tomorrow I will push 100%.



Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator



Qualifying ended in something of a disaster for Lorenzo. While on a fast lap, he had to close the throttle a little in the last corner and he lost the front. He was not hurt but we couldn’t repair the bike in time and he ended up at the back of the grid. He’ll have to fight in the race tomorrow, for sure, and just see what he can do. Michael got to the second row and so far he’s had a smooth weekend. He got some rhythm today and has a good pace for tomorrow so he should be in a group that’s fighting for a podium tomorrow.



2013 World Supersport championship, round six – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal

Final qualifying results:

1 Sam Lowes (GBR) Yamaha 1m44.804s

2 Kenan Sofuoglu (TUR) Kawasaki 1m45.319s

3 Seridan Morais (RSA) Honda 1m45.534s

4 Fabien Foret (FRA) Kawasaki 1m45.845s

5 Alessandro Antonelli (ITA) Kawasaki 1m46.035s

6 Michael van der Mark (NED) Pata Honda 1m46.085s

24 Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA) Pata Honda 1m47.430s