The PATA B&G Ducati rider topped the timesheets at the end of Assen Q1 earlier this season too
Jakub Smrz admits he faces a tough task to carry his early pace setting around Miller Motorsports Park through to Superpole despite notching up his second Q1 'pole position' of the season.
The Czech rider, a renowned one-lap specialist, was in form throughout the day as he forged his way to the top of the timesheets on his privateer PATA B&G Ducati, Smrz proving just over a tenth faster than factory counterpart Michel Fabrizio.
However, while it is the second time Smrz has led the way after Q1 this year, the first time occurring at Assen, with a best finish of just seventh this year, he thinks it'll be hard to maintain his advantage over the remainder of the weekend.
"We scored a great result which means we're on the right path. The team did a great job to prepare the machine for the race. I was among the fastest right away, from the morning practice session.
“In the afternoon, I started off very determined, but I got temporarily passed by the end of the session, while I was in the pit lane. I returned to the track with new tyre and managed to score this great result.
“I'm very confident for tomorrow's qualifying practice, I can certainly improve, but I know that tomorrow is going to be very hard to repeat the result. I'll try my best nonetheless.”
