EWC: Franco Morbidelli dominates to take pole at Sepang

Ryan Lilly

MotoGP’s Franco Morbidelli has put the Sepang Racing Yamaha R1 on pole position ahead of Saturday’s 8 hours of Sepang.

Morbidelli is joined by former MotoGP rider Hafizh Syahrin and previous World Superbike and EWC race winner Michael Van der Mark in the inaugural Malaysian event for the FIM Endurance World Championship.

The SIC Yamaha team lead the top ten into the Superpole-style shootout thanks to an earlier time set by the MotoGP front runner in the ‘Blue’ group.

After topping the earlier Q2 session, it meant that Morbidelli would be the final rider on circuit, and after an impressive lap at the floodlit Malaysian Circuit, the Italian knocked off long-time pole-sitter Sokiat Chantra from the top spot to take pole by +0.793s.

Chantra put his Honda Asia-Dream Racing with Showa machine in second place ahead of the F.C.C. TST Honda France team who will start third thanks to the efforts of Josh Hook. Jeremy Guarnoni and his Webike SRC Kawasaki France team will start fourth ahead of the BMW team, piloted by former World Superbike rider Marcos Reiterberger and Ilya Mikhalchik.

Niccolo Canepa and the YART-Yamaha set the sixth quickest time, ahead of the Team ERC Endurance Ducati Panigale V4 R, ridden by Frenchman Randy De Puniet. BMW Sepang Racing was eighth quickest ahead of the VRD IGOL Pierret Experiences Yamaha, ridden by MotoE rider Xavier Simeon, Florian Marino and Florian Alt.

Completing the top ten is the Wojcik Racing Yamaha Team who failed to complete a lap after British Superbike star Gino Rea crashed at turn 4.

Ahead of Saturday’s 8-hour race, it’s the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team who currently lead the standings ahead of the Wojcik Racing Team, whilst the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team complete the top three, 18 points adrift.

Top ten results:

  1. Yamaha Sepang Racing – Franco Morbidelli
  2. Honda Asia-Dream Racing with SHOWA – Somkiat Chantra +0.793
  3. F.C.C. TSR Honda France – Josh Hook +0.837
  4. WEBIKE SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE – Jeremy Guarnoni +1.179
  5. BMW MOTORRAD WORLD ENDURANCE TEAM – Marcos Reiterberger +1.659
  6. YART – YAMAHA – Niccolo Canepa +1.784
  7. Team ERC Endurance – Randy De Puniet +1.872
  8. BMW Sepang Racing – Azlan Kamaruzaman +2.339
  9. VRD IGOL PIERRET EXPERIENCES – Xavier Simeon +2.580
  10. WOJCIK RACING TEAM – Gino Rea (No Time Set)

Round 2 of the FIM Endurance World Championship kicks off on Saturday 13:00 local time.

Ryan Lilly

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