Team manager Havier Beltran also joked the terrible weather probably meant they were better prepared than most teams, but he is confident Crutchlow and Haslam can shine in the dry too.

“After a season of poor weather in the Bennetts British Superbike championship, we were expecting better here! We can't believe it: it was lovely this morning and then the rain came just before Superpole. One half of the circuit soon got drenched, but then it got worse all around the circuit. Conditions got pretty bad with standing water on the first turn, which soon brought silt down from the side of the track. Despite these conditions both riders did well.

“Leon perhaps got his timing a little wrong with his final fast laps, but he wasn't going to get any quicker in the last ten minutes or so. We're really pleased for Cal, as second on the grid is a great result. I think hand-on-heart we may not see which way Bayliss goes tomorrow, but I'm confident that both riders can run in the top three and battle for a podium finish here. The weather is also supposed to be better, so let's keep our fingers crossed!”