---
title: "Sofuoglu snatches pole in tight Supersport qualifying"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/09/16/sofuoglu-snatches-pole-tight-supersport-qualifying/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "Uncategorised"
published: "2017-09-16T12:32:31Z"
modified: "2017-09-16T12:32:57Z"
---

# Sofuoglu snatches pole in tight Supersport qualifying

Kenan Sofuoglu pipped World Supersport championship leader Lucas Mahias and PJ Jacobsen to his fourth pole of the year in a tight Portimao Superpole session.

The early pacesetter in the second part of Superpole was Lausitzring pole man and race winner Sheridan Morais, whose 1m45.688s kept him top of the pile for much of the 15-minute segment.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/835867468.jpg)

Almost six tenths of a second up on the first flying lap of his second run, Morais‘ hopes of a second successive pole were dashed when he crashed at Turn 13.

To make matters worse, Sofuoglu, Mahias and Jacobsen were all setting the timing screen alight. With 30 seconds left on the clock, Sofuoglu went top with a 1m45.541s.

GRT Yamaha rider Mahias was still threatening the Pucetti rider’s position on his final lap, but was unable to deny the Turk by just 0.035 seconds. Jacobsen was a further 0.015s adrift in third.

Morais‘ crash did not cost him too dearly in the end, the South African shuffled back to the fron of row two ahead of PTR’s Jules Cluzel and his Kallio Racing team-mate Niki Tuuli.

Federico Caricasulo had several scares on his final attempts, the Italian unable to lift himself higher than seventh. SP1 pacesetter Luke Stapleford was three tenths down on Caricasulo in eighth with compatriot Gino Rea behind in ninth.

![Mirco Lazzari gp/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/645170618.jpg)

Christian Gamarino rounded out the top 10 ahead of Chris Bergman, who crashed on his final lap. Michael Canducci will start 12th.

Kyle Smith was set to head into the second segment of qualifying having gone top of the pile early in SP1.

However, the Lorini Honda rider was shuffled out of the top two after compatriot Stapleford and Bergman pipped Smith at the death.

He will start Sunday’s ninth round of WorldSSP 13th on the grid ahead of Lorenzo Zanetti, who threatened the top two on several occasions but continually lost time in the final sector. Kyle Ryde completed the top 15.

Rob Hartog was the top European Supersport Cup qualifier in 16th ahead of WorldSSP debutant Max Enderlein and Kazuki Watanabe. Britain’s Stefan Hill rounded out the top 20.

Alex Baldolini was unable to participate in Superpole after suffering an engine failure in third practice and will start from last as a result.

![](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/09/2017-09-16-1-1.png)