Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, Kenan Sofuoglu and Michele Pirro, will start tomorrow’s ninth round World Supersport championship race at Brno in the Czech Republic from the second row of the grid after setting the fifth and sixth fastest times respectively in today’s final qualifying session.

Pole position for tomorrow’s 18-lap race was taken by Spanish rider Joan Lascorz as both Hannspree riders continued to fine-tune their Honda CBR600RR machines for the 5.403km Brno circuit’s flowing downhill and uphill sections.

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Kenan Sofuoglu at Brno

Currently lying in championship second place, Sofuoglu is hoping to regain the lead tomorrow as the series heads into its final phase.

“Overall we went in the right direction today, but I think we went slightly wrong during qualifying this afternoon. In the hot conditions, we still have some problems and it was tough today. It’s difficult braking in the downhill sections and I completely locked the front in sector two on my quick lap. I almost crashed, so maybe I should be happy with the second row,” said Sofuoglu.

“Front row would have been nice but we know what we need to do to improve the bike for tomorrow. We have the speed to fight at the front and, although I did not achieve my goal today, it’s more important to achieve it tomorrow,” he said.

Pirro, meanwhile, hopes to return to the World Supersport podium for the first time since March.

“The front is pushing a little under braking so I cannot be completely happy. The bike feels OK otherwise but it was not a good qualifying session for me. I struggled to get into a rhythm and couldn’t make a good lap because always it seemed there were slower riders on the line when I wanted to go fast,” said Pirro.

“It made today difficult but I hope tomorrow will be much better. I think our race pace is good enough to stay with the guys at the front and will try to do that for my team who have been working very hard to help me this weekend,” he said.