The three time world champion has been working on finding the optimum set-up at the challenging Imola circuit, which features many different kinds of corners, from fast sweeps downhill to tight uphill hairpins and chicanes which demand fast changes of direction.
Sofuoglu is confident he and his crew have found a good solution for Sunday’s 17-lap WSS race, having ridden in warm and dry conditions throughout the entire weekend so far.
On the second row after qualifying local rider Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing) was the next best Kawasaki man, in fifth place. Another good pre-race showing from American rider Patrick Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) saw him seventh on the grid, which means he will be leading off the third row starters for Sunday’s 17-lap WSS race.
Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) was eighth today, the championship leader now looking for a good start to get away in the front group into the first chicane at Tamburello.
Italian star Roberto Rolfo (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) rounded out the top ten on his Ninja ZX-6R while yet another local rider Christian Gamarino (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) placed himself 16th on the starting grid. Tony Covena (Kawasaki Ponyexpres Intermoto) qualified 20th from 24 riders in his rookie WSS season.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “That was a hard qualification session but it was not so bad. I was always P1 and even when I saw the chequered flag I was still P1 but someone did a faster lap than me right at the end. We have a strong pace and it looks like our bike is working very well. Probably in warm-up we will do a few laps check if everything is OK because we are not going to try anything new. I am quite happy with the set-up of the bike, my pace, my condition and it looks like it is all working well. We did not get pole position but we did not come to take pole. We have come to win the race. We have three tyre options and I am very clear about my tyre choice, so now it is just a case of waiting for the race.”