---
title: "Smith fastest again in tight Supersport session"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/03/10/smith-fastest-tight-supersport-session/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "SBK"
published: "2017-03-10T10:05:03Z"
modified: "2017-03-10T10:05:26Z"
---

# Smith fastest again in tight Supersport session

Team Lorini Honda’s Kyle Smith heads into Saturday’s action as the man to beat after retaining top spot in Supersport practice in Thailand.

The British rider was in excellent form this morning, taking his CBR600 two tenths clear of the field at the top of the pile. His advantage was cut by just over half a tenth in FP2, but Smith’s 1m38.259s puts him high on the list of favourites for pole tomorrow.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/03/645170672.jpg)

Thai wildcard Decha Kraisart could be a major spanner in the works for the likes of Jules Cluzel and PJ Jacobsen, who need to capitalise on Kenan Sofuoglu’s absence after failing to do so last time out in Australia.

Kraisart ends Friday second overall on his Yamaha R6, beating full-time factory GRT rider Lucas Mahias, the French rider lifting himself into the top three from outside of the top 10 right at the death.

Cluzel, along with CIA Landlords Insurance Honda team-mate Hikari Okubo, was passed fit to continue this weekend following FP1 after suffering a fractured sacrum bone in his crash with Federico Caricasulo on the last lap of the race in Australia.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/03/645170676.jpg)

The 2016 Thai WorldSSP race winner went fourth fastest in FP2, two tenths from top spot, with MV Agusta’s Jacobsen completing the top five. Kraisart’s team-mate Chalermpol Polamai was an impressive sixth.

Okubo slotted into seventh ahead of Christian Gamarino on his Bardhal Evans Brothers Honda. Puccetti Kawasaki’s Kyle Ryde left it late, but scraped through to the second part of Superpole with a final effort of 1m38.683s.

Compatriot Gino Rea was the last of the SP2 runners, edging Caricasulo by just 0.064s. Michael Canducci, the Kallio Racing pair of Niki Tuuli and Sheridan Morais, and Aiden Wagner rounded out the top 15.

Luke Stapleford’s day failed to improve this afternoon. The Briton only turned six laps in FP1 before technical issue halted his progress. His Profile Racing team were unable to resolve his Triumph’s problems, and Stapleford was forced to watch FP2 unfold from his garage.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/03/2017-03-10-3-1.png)