Barbera entered Superpole 2 directly after qualifying eighth fastest on Friday. But for a small error on his best lap of Superpole 2 he could have been a little higher up the qualifying order than tenth. Nonetheless, this was his best qualifying performance of his short WorldSSP career.
Okubo could not find an optimum set-up to use on Thursday practice and was unable to join Barbera in Superpole 2 directly as a result. Hikari will start the race from the middle of the fifth row of the grid.
Both riders will be out to improve on their best race results of the year, which stand at eighth for Okubo in Argentina last time out and ninth for Barbera at the same round,
The Losail race, the 12th and last of the 2018 season, will be run over 19-laps on Saturday the 27th of October, under floodlights as is now customary at this round.
Hikari Okubo, stated: “It was difficult today. I tried to push hard but I did not do my best lap in Superpole One. We need another approach and I need to think about the bike settings. Tomorrow is the race so I do not have a lot of time to try something on track. It is difficult right now but I never give up.”
Hector Barbera stated: “I think I could have gone two or three tenths faster but I made a mistake in sector three. For tomorrow I am more ready than the last race in Argentina. The feeling with my bike is good but I also think it is possible to try something to improve the chatter. I think it will be possible to make my best race in this category.”
Glenn van Straalen (EAB antwest Kawasaki) had a good Superpole result of 15th today. Christian Stange (Team GoEleven) was 20th, and Nacho Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki) 21st. Javier Ezequiel Iturrioz (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) finished up 23rd.
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