Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) showed why he is the king of Lausitz qualifying when he scored the fastest lap of day one, lapping the overcast German circuit in a best time of 1'38.569 to lead the provisional qualifying times. Just behind him, 0.211 seconds behind to be precise, is the other Troy - Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) - who was himself only 0.2 seconds ahead of Japanese Superstar Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Another favourite from the land of the rising son was fourth, with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) 0.442 seconds shy of Bayliss's best time.

CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER ON SECOND RUNG ON FIRST DAY James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was just about half a second shy of Bayliss in the first qualifying session (when everyone involved is still on regular race tyres, not qualifiers) with Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) only 0.041 seconds down on the long-time championship leader. First time Lausitz visitor in race trim, Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) was seventh, just outpacing his fellow native Roman, Michel Fabrizio (Honda DFX Corse). The last rider within a second of Bayliss was Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda), and Bayliss' team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) scored the last spot inside the provisional top ten.

NIETO AND NEUKIRCHNER NEXT UP Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) was 11th fastest from 22 riders at Lausitz, while the private Suzuki of local lad Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) surged to 12th place. That early result put the 'other' Max up on two official riders, Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha YZF Team) and Austrian wild-card rider Martin Bauer (Holzhauer Racing Promotions Honda) rounded out the top 16. Steve Martin took the 2006-spec Celani Suzuki to 18th place, Yoann Tiberio (Alto Evolution Honda) was 19th, in his first competitive Superbike session.

POS     NO.      RIDER                          BIKE                             TIME    

1          21       Bayliss T. (AUS)            Ducati 999 F07              1'38.569          

2          11       Corser T. (AUS)              Yamaha YZF-R1            1'38.780          

3          71       Kagayama Y. (JPN)       Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7   1'38.980          

4          41       Haga N. (JPN)               Yamaha YZF-R1            1'39.011          

5          52       Toseland J. (GBR)         Honda CBR1000RR       1'39.086          

6          111       Xaus R. (ESP)                Ducati 999 F06              1'39.127          

7            3        Biaggi M. (ITA)               Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7   1'39.433          

8          84       Fabrizio M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR                   1'39.487          

9          31       Muggeridge K. (AUS)     Honda CBR1000RR       1'39.525          

10        57       Lanzi L. (ITA)                 Ducati 999 F07              1'39.639