The first qualifying session at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia was all about Ducati. The top three spots were taken by Ducati riders, with Carlos Checa on top with a fastest lap time of 1'34.220. Checa claimed his second provisional pole of the World Superbike season in his home country of Spain.
Checa is currently third in the overall standings, but appears to be the man to beat at Valencia. Jakub Smyrz rode to second for B&G racing just three tenths of a second behind the leader. Checa’s Althea Racing teammate, Shane Byrne, took third.
Max Biaggi, who doubled at Portimao, and Leon Haslam, who won the first race of the WSBK season at Phillip Island, came in fourth and fifth respectively.
6th and 7th place were claimed by Ducati factory riders Michelle Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga. Haga won both races at Valencia last year, and was the last rider to finish below 1:35 during the first qualifying session.
The last Ducati inside the top ten was ridden by Lorenzo Lani, who was followed by Cal Crutchlow and Leon Cammier to round out the quickest ten riders.
The top 12 riders were all within one second of the race winner, Carlos Checa.
2 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'34.502
3 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'34.690
4 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 1'34.771
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'34.780
6 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'34.886
7 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'34.935
8 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'35.049
9 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'35.052
10 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 1'35.132
11 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'35.189
12 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'35.203
13 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.232
14 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'35.279
15 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'35.467
16 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'35.555
17 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'35.641
18 88 Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'35.906
19 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'35.912
20 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.766
21 32 Morais S. (RSA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'36.865
22 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'36.928
23 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.171
24 17 Andrews S. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'37.477
25 123 Resch R. (AUT) BMW S1000 RR 1'37.712
