Both Worx Crescent Suzukis will start today's second round of the British Superbike Championship on the front row.
In an exciting and incident-packed qualifying at the Thruxton circuit yesterday afternoon, Tommy Hill pushed his Suzuki GSX-R1000 to the limit to smash the lap record by over half a second and claim Pole Position. Meanwhile his team-mate Yukio Kagayama impressively rose to the challenge of relearning a circuit long forgotten and took fourth overall to book-end the front row for the team.
The result came after two days of practice that saw Hill set the early pace then crash at high speed out of the final free practice. Kagayama started steadily - 13th in first practice - and got faster and faster as he re-learnt the track.
Tommy Hill:
"I am so pleased to have beaten the lap record, that's just fantastic. I knew I could put in a good lap in that last qualifier but I missed reading my dashboard to know what I'd done, then the team put out a pit signal reading 'pit - in'. I didn't know what was going on, but they didn't want me to take any more risks. So I came in and they gave me the news. After the off in final practice it feels so good.
"So for tomorrow it'll be a case of getting my head down and keeping it neat. This morning I had wondered if there was more still to come, it didn't feel like we were on the limit - but clearly we are! So it's time to focus now and bring home those points."
Yukio Kagayama:
"What a weekend! I've come here and it's a first-time feeling; there was nothing that I could remember and it's been a case of learning all over again. But my GSX-R is working very well and everything with the team is smooth; each session I go faster and faster. To be on the front row, that is the best."
Jack Valentine - Team Manager:
"What a cracking day! To finish with Pole, smash the lap record; and have both riders on the front row, I'm over the moon; it's phenomenal.
"Obviously Tommy's crash this morning was a worry, but the way he came back has shown just what a fighter he is. Yukio, too; I'm proud of him. He admitted that he couldn't remember anything of this circuit and after his years in World Superbikes, the bumps and undulations of this place must have been a real shock. But the way he's come on has shown his class. It's been a good job all round from the lads - again. Tommy's performance today has been simply awesome, so tomorrow the real work begins: turning front row starts into podium finishes."
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton Swan Combi Roll for Pole:
1. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 1m: 14.366s 2. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +0.804s 3. Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +0.812s 4. Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.871s 5. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +1.089s 6. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.148s 7. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +1.183s 8. Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +1.197s 9. Christian Iddon (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +2.438s 10. Chris Walker (CW Racing Suzuki)
