Haslam powers to first WSBK pole position

Briton Leon Haslam has produced a powerhouse performance to claim pole position for tomorrow's opening round of the 2010 Superbike World Championship.

The two-time British superbike runner-up blitzed the pack in today's three-stage Superpole shootout, producing a tactical masterpiece - setting his best lap early on and then sitting back as everyone tried to return fire.

Despite a number of riders pulling out all stops, Haslam remained in control as he eventually stopped the clock with a best lap of 1:31.229, just a fraction in arrears of the fastest ever time (1:31.050) around the 4.445km circuit.

It is 26-year-old Haslam's first pole position in world superbike, it what has been a seamless transition from privateer Honda rider into a factory Suzuki pilot.

Haslam was sixth in last year's championship, which included a podium finish in the corresponding opening round at Phillip Island.

"I am absolutely delighted to get my first Superpole, but the race is more important," said Haslam. "But I want to say first round with the team and everyone is working together fantastic and I have felt at home here at Suzuki since the very first time I tested.

"Sitting in the garage watching the other guys go round and the times falling was more nerve-racking than being out on the track

"Today once again we concentrated on getting a good race set up and we did a lot of time on race rubber. My aim is to be in the first three in the first eight or nine laps and that will be a good position for the end of the race

It's not what you can do in the first five laps; it's what you do in the last five laps here that is the most important."

Haslam will be joined on the front row in tomorrow's two 22-lap races by Ducati rider Michel Fabrizio, Yamaha rookie Cal Crutchlow, and former 500cc grand prix winner Carlos Checa (Ducati).

Australian stars Troy Corser (BMW) and Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki) have left themselves with plenty of work to do, and will start alongside each other on the fourth row of the grid. Fellow Australians Andrew Pitt (BMW) and Josh Brookes (Honda) - deputising for injured countryman Broc Parkes -- will start from the fifth row.

Despite lean pickings in Superpole, Corser believes that with "clean" opening laps he'll be able to circulate with the front pack.

"I feel like I'm achieving faster lap times with less risk," said Corser. "We made good steps forward with the bike's settings today, and I feel more confident on the bike.

"In the first session of the Superpole we had to use a qualifying tyre just to make sure to stay in the competition. Actually I set my fastest time of the Superpole on a race tyre. Of course, I am a little disappointed with the starting position, but if I get a good start I am confident of setting good lap times."

Meanwhile, Vermeulen is optimistic that he can still challenge for top eight finishes tomorrow.

"In general we've improved the bike every time we have got on it," said the Queenslander, a former MotoGP winner. "Today in Superpole was the first time I used a qualifying tyre and we're trying to get an understanding of that.

"In the last lap we had a small issue with the bike, a fuel problem, and I had to back off at the end and was not able to get the best out of the bike

"We are working hard to get durability out of the bike. Here it's important to be fast in the last 10 laps, and I think we can have a good race and challenge for the top eight."

Although Pitt knows he won't be a contender for top honours, he's delighted with the progress he has made on his privateer BMW after such an abbreviated pre-season.

"We're going forward every time, and the reality is it is only the fourth day on the bike," said Pitt. "Before Superpole we were 1.2secs off the fastest guy, and we are happy with that.

"We are going better and faster than we thought we would, but it's just very tight at the top."

Another rookie, Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, will lead away row two, to be joined by Jakub Smrz (Ducati), Jonathan Rea (Honda) and James Toseland (Yamaha).

The top six riders in Superpole all eclipsed Corser's current lap record of 1:31.826, which is set to broken tomorrow if conditions remain mild.

Toseland is one of three riders with world superbike-winning experience at Phillip Island, alongside Corser and Japan's world No. 2 Noriyuki Haga (Ducati).

Haga and another championship heavyweight, Italy's Max Biaggi (Aprilia), will be lurking on row three tomorrow. In all 23 riders will compete, with Pitt's BMW teammate Roland Resch a scratching after crashing hard in this morning's second qualifying session and breaking his right collarbone.

Tomorrow's WSBK races will be held at 12.00pm and 3.30pm respectively.

In world supersport, Kawasaki's Joan Lascorz will lead away the 17-rider field, from Honda trio Kenan Sofuoglu, Michele Pirro and Eugene Laverty. The 21-lap race will start at 1.30pm.

Click on the following link for full results from Phillip Island.