Julio Garcia Gonzalez (KOVE Racing Team) made FIM Supersport 300 World Championship history during the Tissot Superpole session as he secured his first pole in the class and, with it, the first pole for Kove and a Chinese manufacturer in the WorldSBK paddock. The #48’s success means he’ll lead the grid away for Saturday’s Race 1 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as he secured P1 in Superpole by only 0.044s for the Pirelli Catalunya Round.

HISTORY MAKING SESSION: a maiden pole for Kove and Garcia Gonzalez

The 25-minute session provided a moment of history as Chinese manufacturer Kove secured their first pole position thanks to Garcia Gonzalez, who also took his first pole. He set his lap time in the opening stages of the session and remained unbeatable when he set a 1’55.313s – with the last flying lap for a lot of riders cancelled after yellow flags at Turn 1 following a crash for Filip Novotny (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR). Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) will line up for Race 1 from second place, only 0.044s away from pole, with Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) in third as three different manufacturers complete the front row.

SECOND ROW START: a strong row two featuring class veterans

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PL Performances) will lead off the second row after a strong performance at a circuit he considers one of his worst, lapping 0.182s slower than the #48, while Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki) is fifth. The Catalunya Round is the Italian’s first since his full-time return was announced and he started with P5 in Superpole. Samuel Di Sora (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) will complete the second row after finding huge time in the second half of the session, securing a second row start in his first round following his switch to Yamaha machinery over the winter.

BUIS WITH WORK TO DO: outside the top ten…

Czech rider Petr Svoboda (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) was seventh to lead off the front row, 0.420s down on the pole-setting time, with Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) in eighth. The #55 crashed at the Turn 7-8 chicane in the early moments of Superpole, and he returned his bike to the pits. It cost him track time, setting only five laps, before he improved in the final stages to secure a third-row start. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) completes row three with Inigo Iglesias Bravo (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) in tenth, just ahead of reigning Champion Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM – PALIGO Racing) in 11^th; the #1 had a huge moment at Turn 10 in the final few minutes when he lost the front of his KTM RC 390 R, but the Dutchman was able to save it.

The top six from WorldSSP300 Tissot Superpole, full results here:

1. Julio Garcia Gonzalez (KOVE Racing Team) 1'55.313s

2. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) +0.044s

3. Matteo Vannucci (Pata Yamaha AG Motorsport Italia) +0.093s

4. Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PL Performances) +0.182s

5. Bruno Ieraci (Team ProDina Kawasaki) +0.311s

6. Samuel Di Sora (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) +0.329s

Don’t miss out on the first WorldSSP300 race of 2024 on Saturday at 12:45 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!