BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Phillip Island - Saturday

Phillip Island – Qualifying Practice 2 & Superpole.

Saturday, 25th February 2012.

Weather conditions: Sunny.

Temperature: Air: 33 – 34 °C, Track: 42 – 51 °C

Number of riders participating: 25/23 from 15/14 teams

Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) 1:31.323 min

Fastest lap Superpole 3: cancelled

Leon Haslam:

Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:32.082 min (P12) / Fastest lap FP: 1:32.971 min (P7)

Marco Melandri:

Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:32.123 min (P13) / Fastest lap FP: 1:32.585 min (P3)

Today saw a sad start to the 2012 FIM Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. The Superpole qualifying session was cancelled after a tragic accident in a support race. Young Australian rider Oscar McIntyre was fatally injured in a crash in the Australian Superstock 600cc Championship race.

This incident has deeply saddened every member of Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport. We send our sympathies to Oscar McIntyre’s family and want to show our respects for them and the young rider at this difficult time.

Under these circumstances, the sporting aspects are secondary to the loss of such a young life. With the cancellation of Superpole, the combined qualifying times from Friday afternoon and Saturday morning will determine the line-up for tomorrow’s two 22-lap races. Leon Haslam (GBR) will start 12th from the third row on the grid, just in front of new team-mate, Marco Melandri (ITA), who qualified in 13th for the fourth row.

BMW Motorrad Italia Goldbet SBK Team’s new rider Michel Fabrizio (ITA) qualified tenth fastest today and will start from the third row, while Ayrton Badovini (ITA) qualified on the fifth row in 20th place.