Here's the thing about motorcycle racing: margins do not get much wilder than this. Hinata Okada will lead the grid for the opening race of the penultimate round of the FIM Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup at the Cremona Circuit in Italy after an absolute nail-biter of a Friday afternoon Superpole session.
The Japanese rider stopped the clocks at a 1’45.825, a lap time just fast enough to deny championship contender Emanuele Pastore by a minuscule 0.005 seconds. Angelo Mottola slotted into third, sitting only 0.083 seconds further back in what must have been a stunningly tense battle for the top spot.
Looking down the order, Leonardo Marques kicks off the second row from Brazil. He is joined right behind by series leader Xarly Mendez and Riichi Takahira, who arrives here looking for more magic after taking a double win last time out.
Over on row three, Austria’s Daniel Krabacher starts in seventh position. Mauro Gomez and Rintaro Takamoto round out that particular row of the grid.
Chris Clark had actually topped the morning’s Free Practice session with real authority, but the American rider found himself sliding back to tenth on the fourth row. He will share that row with Aymon Bocanegra and Salvatore Germano.
Even the polesitter could hardly believe how it played out. “I am quite surprised to be pole position because usually Superpole is not my strength! I think my best qualifying so far is sixth, so this is a big improvement! It makes me quite nervous for tomorrow’s first race, but I will give it everything to push for a strong result,” Hinata Okada admitted.
