Wild-card Hopkins goes quickest in Superbike Q2

Date published : 30 Jul 2011 - 10:54:32

Points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) may have set the quickest time at the end of the two qualifying sessions at Silverstone, but it was wild-card American rider John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) who stole the show this morning, going quickest with a time of 2 minutes 05.058 seconds. Third and fourth quickest were two more surprises, the Ducati 1098 machines of Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert - Liberty Racing) and Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team), while Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) moved up from a slow start to fifth in the combined session standings. The third major title contender, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team), was however in clear difficulty on the track, languishing down in 15th place. Riders who did not make it into the Tissot-Superpole included Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), Alex Lowes and Fabrizio Lai (Castrol Honda) and Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team).