PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
SEPANG, MALAYSIA, AUG. 1—As has been the norm recently in World Supersport racing, the big three—Core” Motorsport Thailand Honda’s Patrick Jacobsen, Kawasaki Puccetti Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu and MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel—battled each other for pole, but this time it was a first for Jacobsen and his Thai race team.
Times were close to the previous best, but Jacobsen had a decent advantage of .180 of a second over Sofuoglu, with Cluzel just .218 of a second behind the lead.
Former 250 GP race winner Roberto Rolfo on the Team Lorini Honda used his Sepang knowledge to the max to go fourth today, with day one quickest rider Lorenzo Zanetti on the other MV Agusta Reparto Corse fifth.
Completing the second row was CIA Landlords Insurance Honda’s Gino Rea.
Another British rider, Kyle Smith on the PATA Honda World Supersport Team was seventh, and the third MV in the field was eighth, thanks to Race Department ATK#25 MV Agusta’s Alex Baldolini. Team Go Eleven Kawasaki’s Christian Gamarino placed ninth.
Rounding out the top 10 was rookie Sepang runner, Marco Faccani on the San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki. Former AMA Daytona Sportbike Champion, Martin Cardenas was 11th on the other CIA Landlords Insurance Honda’s
In the 2015 season score of pole positions in WSS, Jacobsen has now broken his career record with one, Sofuoglu has two and Cluzel is way out front with six.
2015 Sepang World Superbike
Qualifying Results:
1. PJ Jacobsen (Honda) 2:08.244
2. Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 2:08.424
3. Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta) 2:08.462
4. Roberto Rolfo (Honda) 2:09.159
5.Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta) 2:09.246
6. Gino Rea (Honda) 2:09.246
7. Kyle Smith (Honda) 2:09.361
8. Alex Badolini (MV Agusta) 2:09.393
9. Christian Gamarino (Kawasaki) 2:09.472
10. Marco Faccani (Kawasaki) 2:10.010
