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The new season for Qatar SuperBike Championship started today under the floodlights of Losail International Circuit with 31 riders taking part in the first round. In the free practice 1, the defendant champion, Alex Cudlin with a Kawasaki ZX10R bike was the fastest rider with a time of 2.04.328. The runner up of the last season, the Qatari rider Nasser Al Malki made the second best time, 2.05.039 with the BMW bike and Mishal Al Naimi was third with a time of 2.06.750. The Indian rider Rajini Krishnan who was competing in the LARRS category last season made an excellent fourth best time, 2.07.903. In the second free practice of the day, Nasser Al Malki was the fastest rider with a time of 2.04.261 whereas Cudlin was second with a time of 2.04.311. Abdulaziz Binladin from KSA made the third best lap time, 2.06.350. In the qualifying practice, the first pole of the season was for Alex Cudlin who made a lap time of 2.03.624. ' I qualified on pole with one second gap difference with Nasser but I think he had a problem as in the free practice he was faster. We have a really big issue with the bike at the moment, we are trying to solve it but we cannot find it. Sure there is somewhere and just need to find it. Tomorrow in the warm up I will experience again with the settings and hopelfy is good for the race. As for the race, I believe there will be 4 riders for the fight, me, Nina, Nasser and Mishal. The championship is really hot so they could play a part as well' Cudlin said after getting the polepostion. The second place of the grid will be for Nasser Al Malki with a time of 2.04.633. ' In the free practice I tried a lot of thing to change compare do last season to improve more. At the beginning I was happy but I couldn't find any lap alone, so I even I made my lap timing with a lot of traffic I am happy but I hope tomorrow to finish in first place as I am ready for this championship.' Al Malki stated at the end of the qualifying session.
Mishal Al Naimi will close the first row of the grid tomorrow. The german rider Nina Prinz, who crashed in the Free Practice 1 and damaged her bike, could make the qualifying session with her old Suzuki bike and got the fourth best lap time. ' I crashed in the free practice 1, maybe something with the tyre and I had some chatter, I lost the front in the corner five and I switch to the 'old' Suzuki, the feeling is not so bad but I have to improve and to learn how the Susuzki is going, but at the moment I am really happy that I can ride and hope tomorrow to see how are the things but I will give everything'. Prinz said at the end of the Qualifying session. Regarding the Losail Asian Road Racing Series, the fastest rider was the Algerian Walid Benterki. The female rider Manca Katrasnik finished in second position in the LARRS category. ' Today I finished the qualification session and I am really excited and happy with the result as I didn't expect such a good result being my first time riding at the Losail track. My main goal is to finish the race tomorrow and improve my lap timing. I love this track and riding in the night with the lights is very impressive. I would like to thank to Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation for their support and this opportunity to ride in this great championship' Manca said at the end of the Qualifying session. Tomorrow, the first race will be at 19:20 and the second race is scheduled at 21:50 Find attached photos and results of the day • Alex Cudlin
• Nasser Al Malki
• Walid Benterki
• Manca Katrasnik
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