WSBK QP2: Jonny Rea on top, Biaggi and Corser in top 5

Phillip Island Superbike qualifying session 2 highlighted how unpredictable and exciting this series is looking in 2009. Jonny Rea, who was nowhere to be seen in yesterday’s session, ended up taking the top spot by two tenths of a second from Max Biaggi. For the brand-new Aprilia RSV4 to be so competitive in its first race meeting is a truly impressive development feat. Troy Corser also put in a flyer on his BMW S1000RR, another brand new bike with a brand new team - he finished with the 5th best time.

To illustrate how competitive this class is, the entire top 20, which will go through to knockout superpole, were covered by just one second.

Jakub Smrz’s best time from yesterday was enough to leave him third in overall standings, but the Czech Ducati rider languished well down the timesheet today in 21st place. Nori Haga managed to knock a couple of tenths off his best effort from yesterday to stay in 4th.

Ben Spies is looming in an ominous 7th place going into the Superpole knockout sessions this afternoon, with Fabrizio, Laconi, Sykes and Neukirchner rounding out the top 10. Shakey Byrne worked his way up to 14th, but is still not looking too dangerous.

WSBK Qualifying Practice times (combined QP1 and QP2)

1. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.161s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 32.306s
3. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 32.312s
4. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 32.377s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 32.397s
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 32.491s
7. Ben Spies USA Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 32.500s
8. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 1min 32.508s
9. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha Italia YZF R1 1min 32.509s
10. Max Neukirchner GER Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 32.525s
11. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.602s
12. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.623s
13. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 32.704s
14. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 32.708s
15. Tommy Hill GBR HANNspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.884s
16. Shinya Nakano JPN Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 32.947s
17. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 32.992s
18. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 33.055s
19. Roberto Rolfo ITA Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 33.055s
20. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R 1min 33.104s

21. Brendan Roberts AUS Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 33.588s
22. Makoto Tamada JPN Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 1min 33.709s
23. Ayrton Badovini ITA PSG-1 Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.174s
24. David Salom ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.194s
25. Karl Muggeridge AUS Celani Suzuki GSX-R1000 1min 34.341s
26. Luca Scassa ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 34.390s
27. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA SCI Honda CBR1000RR 1mins 35.767s
28. Matteo Baiocco ITA PSG-1 Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 36.363s