With just one lap remaining, Leon Haslam turned up the speed to overtake Max Biaggi for the top spot on the leaderboard. Haslam claimed the provisional pole today in Monza by .019 seconds.
Biaggi was narrowly beaten out at the end of the day, but the Aprilia rider did set a new record at the Monza track. Biaggi got his motorcycle up to 206.6 mph down the long stretch of the Italian circuit and set a new top speed record.
Eugene Laverty finished third ahead of Ayrton Badovini, Jonathan Rea, Noriyuki Haga and Marco Melandri.
The World Superbike season leader, Carlos Checa, hasn’t been able to find the pace of the top riders. Checa ended the first qualifying session in 14th place, more than a second behind the pacesetter.
World Superbike - 1st Qualifying - Monza
- L. Haslam 1'42.934
- M. Biaggi 1'42.953
- E. Laverty 1'43.265
- A. Badovini 1'43.276
- J. Rea 1'43.321
- N. Haga 1'43.531
- M. Melandri 1'43.588
- T. Corser 1'43.640
- M. Berger 1'43.679
- L. Camier 1'43.730
