WorldSSP: Strong Sofuoglu secures fourth pole of 2017

An excellent performance by World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in the WorldSSP Tissot Superpole 2 session at the Prosecco DOC Portuguese Round saw the Turkish rider register his fourth pole position result of the season, whilst Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) and PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) also secured front row starts.

Despite a crash earlier in the day in FP3 Sofuoglu produced a hot lap of 1’45.541 in SP2 to slot in at the head of the grid, with championship leader Mahias missing pole himself by just 0.035s. In a tight session Jacobsen qualified third as he lapped just 0.05s down on Sofuoglu.

Sheridan Morais (Kallio Racing) was on provisional pole but late crash at turn 13 saw him slip to fourth, where he will be joined on row two by another late crasher Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing).

Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team), Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) and Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) are all on row three, ahead of fourth row qualifiers Christian Gamarino (BARDAHL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing), Christoffer Bergman (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Michael Canducci (Puccetti Racing Junior Team FMI). Making it through from the earlier SP1 session were Stapleford and Bergman.

The WorldSSP race at the Prosecco DOC Portuguese Round will start at 12 midday local time on Sunday.
Pole Position – Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
“This mornings crash gave us a lot of stress and the crew worked none stop to get the bike back together. When I started Superpole I felt the bike wasn’t perfectly so I told the crew to change the tyre and I will fix the handlebars, but I was stressed because of the front tyre. The team did a very good job and the team deserve this pole.”