SERT 3RD IN QATAR ENDURANCE QUALIFYING

Suzuki Endurance Racing Team will start the Qatar World Endurance second round at Losail in Doha from third position after final qualifying earlier ye4sterday morning under floodlights.

Team rider Vincent Philippe posted the fastest time of 2:01.396 on the GSX-R1000 but the combined time between him and team mates Anthony Delhalle and Yukio Kagayama - in his first ride for SERT - was 2:01.673.

Philippe, who is now fully-recovered from his injury sustained at the opening round at Magny Cours in April, was the fastest of the trio through all free practice sessions also where the team again recorded the third-fastest combined time.

Fastest qualifier was the BMW Motorrad France team of Erwan Nigon, Sebastien Gimbert and Damian Cudlin with a time of 2:00.910, just ahead of Monster Energy Yamaha's Noriyuki Haga, Igor German and Gwen Giabbani on 2:01.456.

The start of the 8 Hours of Doha will take place at 1700 hrs local time this afternoon with a Le Mans-style sprint with a 1am Sunday morning finish.

Qatar 2nd Practice results: 1 BMW Motorrad France (BMW) 2:01.470, 2 Yamaha France GMT 94 (Yamaha) 2:01.680, 3 SERT (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2:02.397, 4 Monster Energy Yamaha (Yamaha) 2:03.001, 5 Honda TT Legends (Honda) 2:03.408, 6 Bolliger Team Switzerland (Kawasaki) 2:03.692, 7 QERT (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2:04.671, 8 AM Moto Racing (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2:04.723, 9 Yamaha Folch Endurance (Yamaha) 2:04.777, 10 Penz 13 (BMW) 2:05.545.

Qatar Final Qualifying: 1 BMW Motorrad France (BMW) 2:00.910, 2 Monster Energy Yamaha (Yamaha) 2:01.456, 3 SERT (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2:01.673, 4 Yamaha France GMT 94 (Yamaha) 2:01.837, 5 Bolliger Team Switzerland (Kawasaki) 2:02.943.