WINSTON TEN KATE HONDA RIDERS TO FORM PERFECT 1-2 ON THE
QATAR GRID
With dry track conditions gracing the final qualifying session
at the 5.380km Losail circuit, the Winston Ten Kate Honda
team made the best-possible use of them, monopolising the
front two positions on the grid for Saturday’s race.
World Champion for Winston Ten Kate in 2005, Sebastien Charpentier,
got his title defence off to a great start when grid positions
were at stake, taking pole with an impressive new best lap
time of 2’03.093. It was his 12th career pole position
and his second in succession at Losail for the Winston Ten
Kate team.
A no less impressive feat for new signing Kenan Sofuoglu
was his second fastest lap of the day, putting his in the
very position he dreamed off after he set quickest time in
Thursday’s wet qualifying session. He hoped to be second
on the grid in dry conditions, and his dream was realised,
thanks to a 2’04.089.
Despite there being 33 bikes involved in the final qualifying
session, the Winston Ten Kate Honda team were simply head
and shoulders above the rest, with Sofuoglu’s nearest
challenger, Yamaha rider Kevin Curtain, 0.652 seconds behind
the young Turk. Weather conditions for the 18-lap race on
Saturday 25th are expected to mirror those in final qualifying,
with warm ambient temperatures and a dry track surface.
Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager
“That is what you could call a perfect start to the
season. It was all the more exciting because there are many
new bikes around this season, so it is satisfying to know
that the Honda CBR600RR is still the front-running bike in
the field. Sebastien we know was fast here in winter testing
but to see Kenan doing so well in his first ever qualifying
session for our team justifies all the work we have done in
the winter. By tomorrow morning, and for the race, I think
that the race set-up we used at the beginning of the session
will be pretty good and the tyres seem to be lasting well
for us. The work of today has paid off, but the important
part is tomorrow and we will try to take as many points as
possible from here.”
Sébastien Charpentier – WSS Winston
Ten Kate Honda Rider
(Pole position – 2’03.093)
“A good day today with a 1-2, a good result for the
team, the same as last year when it was Katsuaki Fujiwara
and I who were first and second. I feel good about the bike
and things are moving forward. I think tomorrow should be
good for us. There was a little confusion first thing this
morning because the Supersport bikes go out before anyone
else and the track was very slippery after so much rain yesterday.
Eighteen laps will be good fun tomorrow, and we have probably
reached the maximum potential of the bike in qualifying. Tomorrow
I will try a new race set-up anyway, but we know we are ready
for the race.”
Kenan Sofuoglu – WSS Winston Ten Kate Honda
Rider
(2nd position – 2’04.089)
“It was very important for me to test myself, because
in the first two races I will learn the most and then I can
hopefully grow step-by-step. After the first dry qualifying,
to be in second position, is like a dream. We will see what
happens tomorrow, but for today I have to thank Honda and
my team for giving me this chance and my mechanics who have
made such a fast bike for me.”
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