The new Superpole qualifying did not go to plan for Orelac Racing VerdNatura but despite that, the team is looking forward to the race tomorrow and eager to start the season in the points. Fahmi Khairuddin will start from the sixth row of the grid and Nacho Calero will start from the seventh, but both are confident making substantial improvements in tomorrow’s 18-lap race and kicking off their 2016 campaign with positive results.
Zulfahmi Khairuddin: 17th, 1:34.615
“Today was my first ever qualifying in the World Supersport Championship and although it wasn’t particularly fantastic, there were many positives. The bike feels good and I feel good on it. I am a bit further down the grid than I wanted to be, but as long as I can make a good start I think I can get a good result.”
Nacho Calero: 21st, 1:35.249
“This morning we changed to harder springs in the front forks and the bike felt better to ride. My feeling with it is good and although my grid position is not so good I don’t feel so bad because my lap time is only one tenth of a second slower than Terol in eleventh place. Although the first corner is quite a long way from the start, I know I have to get off the line very quickly and try and make up some positions before the turn. After this corner, it’s not possible to overtake until about turn four, so the start is crucial.”
Giulio Bardi (Team Manager)
“I am disappointed about the grid positions but I am very happy with Nacho’s lap times. They are very respectable and show that he is improving. Our strategy with Fahmi may not have worked out as well as we intended, but this is such a big learning curve for all of us and we will concentrate on the positives. Both riders know they have to make good starts, but I think Fahmi can finish in the top ten and Nacho can certainly get into the points.”
Saturday Superpole results:
1 Sofuoglu 1:33.142, 2 Jacobsen 1:33.644, 3 Krummenacher 1:33.664, 4 Caricasulo 1:33.827, 5 Zanetti 1:33.919, 6 Baldolini 1:34.004, 17 Fahmi Khairuddin (MAS-Kawasaki) 1:34.615, 21 Nacho Calero (ESP-Kawasaki) 1:35.249,
