Round  1, Losail (Qatar)
Friday 25th February
Final Qualifying

Circuit: 5.380 kms
Weather:  overcast, sometimes dry, sometimes damp, 20 C

TROY PIPPED AT THE POST!

There were less then two minutes of 'Wet Superpole' remaining with Troy on
course for his first Superpole with Alstare Suzuki, when Frenchman Regis Laconi
sneaked through by less then a tenth of second. And Regis did it with Troy's
help! Troy had posted the fastest time in the 16-rider 'Wet Superpole' just four
minutes or so from the end and was heading back to the pits, when he noticed
Regis flying. Obligingly, he moved over and allowed the Frenchman a free run and
that was enough to allow Laconi to take Superpole by the narrowest of margins.
Afterwards, in the Superpole Press Conference, Laconi thanked Troy for his
sporting behaviour. There is not going to be same courtesy shown in tomorrow's
races though and Laconi knows that he is on for one mother of battles - with
Troy, but also with a brace oof other riders. Third quickest was Seb Gimbert
(Yamaha), with Troy's team mate Yukio Kagayama slotting into fourth place.

TROY

Well my Superpole lap was not a perfect one by any means, but it was good enough
to take Superpole until a minute or so from the end. I saw Regis flying, so I
moved over and let him through. I would've done that for anybody in Superpole,
but in a race it would be a different matter. I'm sure that he would've done the
same for me or at least I'd like to think he would! Conditions today were pretty
difficult, dry, damp, dry, rain and sometimes all in the same session. It was no
surprise that Superpole was declared a 'Wet Superpole' but then it was important
to get out at the beginning when it was pretty dry and set a quick lap.
Unfortunately quite a few riders all tried to do it at the same time, so a few
lost out and putting in quick laps. There was a long gap in the middle of the
session when nobody went out. I guess we were all waiting for somebody to make a
move. That somebody was me! And soon everybody was at it. I managed a 2:01.641,
with a few minutes left and I hoped that nobody would beat it, but when I saw
Regis on a charge I kinda guessed he might do it.

Like everybody, I'm hoping that we will have dry races tomorrow. The track was
slippery enough in the dry when you go off-line and in the wet you have to be
extra, extra careful or you'll go down. being on the front row is vital here and
I hope I will be in the lead going into turn one or definitely in the top three.
If you are in the lead, I reckon it's got to be worth a second at the end of the
first lap as there's more or less only one line round here. If it is dry, I
think it's going to come down to tyre management. Whoever conserves their tyres
best, is probably going to win. Regis has been improving ever since we got here,
so I think he'll be my biggest rival, but I think Yukio is going to be a real
threat. I'm not sure about Cardoso - he's been fast for 6-8 laps, but I don't
know how he'll go over the full eighteen. I'm still thinking of a couple of
podiums and hope, for everbody's sake, that we have a pair of dry races.

See ya.

Final qualifying

 1 Laconi (F-Ducati)                              2:01.593
 2 TROY CORSER (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra)  2:01.641
 3 Gimbert (F-Yamaha)                             2:01.889
 4 Kagayama (Suzuki)                              2:02.643
 5 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha)                              2:02.670
 6 Cardoso (E-Yamaha)                             2:02.745
 7 Haga (J-Yamaha)                                2:02.766
 8 Vermeulen (Aus-Honda)                          2:02.960
 9 Silva (E-Yamaha)                               2:03.049
10 Chili (I-Honda)                                2:03.100

TROY CORSER WEBSITE - http://www.troycorser.com