For the first time this season, Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill missed out on a front-row qualifying position after a crash in final free-practice cost him track time.
Although he recovered well, the lost time meant he wasn't able to push for his customary start position. Finishing the Swan Roll for Pole in P6, Hill will start tomorrow's first race from the second row.
Team-mate Yukio Kagayama struggled with set-up issues that were eventually traced to gas leaking from his rear shock. Kagayama qualified in 12th position.
Tommy Hill:
"The crash was a bit of rider error, just pushing a little too much a little too soon. It was a shame as I'd finished second free practice as fastest and was keen to maintain that position. The team were excellent as ever with the accident repairs and I was able to make it back on track in the last minutes to post fourth fastest.
"However, the lack of laps put us in the position of having to try a change to the set-up in qualifying, and although it looked like the right thing to do, the bike didn't feel right. So I'm disappointed not to be on the front row.
"We'll revert to our best setting then for tomorrow. I'll go for the best start I can manage and push forward as hard as I can. Tomorrow, as they say, is another day!"
Yukio Kagayama:
"Today was an unlucky day for me. First I had a clutch problem and then the suspension. So to qualify in P12 is not so nice. But I think we have dealt with our problems and I like the track so I think tomorrow I can make good progress."
Jack Valentine - Team Manager:
"We're not on the front row for once, but this is far from a disaster. Tommy has shown so much fighting spirit this season that to start from P6 isn't a major obstacle, and we can still expect him to be fighting for honours tomorrow.
"Importantly, Tommy's done the groundwork, and the misfortunes we've suffered this afternoon shouldn't stop us from seeing that he's got sound settings for both wet and dry and I'm certain he'll be matching the pace of the front row. Obviously he'll have a little more work to do at the start of the race but otherwise it'll be business as usual.
"Yuki's had to work hard again today and the shock issue set him back. But once we'd discovered and rectified the fault, he immediately improved his lap time by over a second, so I can see he also will have more to come tomorrow."
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Swan Combi Roll for Pole result:
1. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 2m: 06.215s 2. Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +0.122s 3. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.260s 4. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.362s 5. Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.697s 6. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.786s 7. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.206s 8. Chris Walker (Sorrymate.com SMT Honda) +1.393s 9. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +1.410s 10. James Ellison (Swan Honda) +1.865s 12. Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +2.095s
