Tom Sykes, winner of the championship with Kawasaki last year, found weather conditions conspiring against him at the previous Magny Cours round but he still leads the championship as he has done since taking a home round double victory at Donington in May. Now with a 12-point advantage entering the Losail round Sykes Tom is eager to get back to winning ways at one of his favourite circuits. Yorkshireman Sykes has scored eight race wins in 2014, hoisting his career tally to 22, and he aims to add to that total as he chases consecutive championship titles.
Loris Baz has yet to score a win in 2014 and his immediate aim is to return to top form to be able to be in a position to help in the overall championship chase for Kawasaki. Loris is fifth in the rankings, with 19 points to make up on the rider ahead, and two points scoring races in which to do it.
KRT SBK Evo class rider David Salom is the clear leader of the Evo category, which runs in parallel with the overall SBK contest. Now 30 points ahead, despite missing the previous round after hurting his previously injured right hand, Salom is feeling fit and intends to win the Evo title by winning both races in Losail.
Losail has not been used for WSBK racing since the 2009 season, but Sykes has raced there before, finishing seventh and fifth in Qatar during his rookie WSBK season. As the Losail races will be held in the dark and relative cool of night time, the SBK races will start at 19.00 and 22.00 local time in Qatar, and are scheduled for 17 laps each.
| 2014 eni SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 12 – LOSAIL | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FREE PRACTICE & TISSOT SUPERPOLE RESULT | ||||||
| POS | RIDER | BIKE | TEAM | BEST TIME | ||
| 1 | 34 |  DAVIDE GIUGLIANO | DUCATI | DUCATI SUPERBIKE TEAM | 1:57.033 | SP2 |
| 2 | 76 |  LORIS BAZ | KAWASAKI | KAWASAKI RACING TEAM | 1:57.281 | SP2 |
| 3 | 1 |  TOM SYKES | KAWASAKI | KAWASAKI RACING TEAM | 1:57.468 | SP2 |
| 4 | 7 | CHAZ DAVIES | DUCATI | DUCATI SUPERBIKE TEAM | 1:57.562 | SP2 |
| 5 | 50 | SYLVAIN GUINTOLI | APRILIA | APRILIA RACING TEAM | 1:57.833 | SP2 |
| 6 | 91 | LEON HASLAM | HONDA | PATA HONDA WORLD SUPERBIKE | 1:58.005 | SP2 |
| 7 | 65 | JONATHAN REA | HONDA | PATA HONDA WORLD SUPERBIKE | 1:58.190 | SP2 |
| 8 | 33 | MARCO MELANDRI | APRILIA | APRILIA RACING TEAM | 1:58.355 | SP2 |
| 9 | 58 |  EUGENE LAVERTY | SUZUKI | VOLTCOM CRESCENT SUZUKI | 1:58.379 | SP2 |
| 10 | 24 |  TONI ELIAS | APRILIA | RED DEVILS ROMA | 1:58.583 | SP2 |
| 11 | 22 | ALEX LOWES | SUZUKI | VOLTCOM CRESCENT SUZUKI | 1:58.919 | SP2 |
| 12 | 44 | DAVID SALOM | KAWASAKI | KAWASAKI RACING TEAM | 1:59.015 | SP2 |
| 13 | 52 | SYLVAIN BARRIER | BMW | BMW MOTORRAD ITALIA SBK | 1:58.918 | SP1 |
| 14 | 59 | NICCOLO CANEPA | DUCATI | ALTHEA RACING | 1:59.492 | SP1 |
| 15 | 21 | ALESSANDRO ANDREOZZI | KAWASAKI | TEAM PEDERCINI | 1:59.601 | SP1 |
| 16 | 95 |  ALEX CUDLIN | KAWASAKI | TEAM PEDERCINI | 2:00.439 | SP1 |
| 17 | 67 | BRYAN STARING | KAWASAKI | IRON BRAIN KAWASAKI SBK | 2:00.638 | SP1 |
| 18 | 11 | JEREMY GUARNONI | KAWASAKI | MRS KAWASAKI | 2:00.817 | SP1 |
| 19 | 99 |  GEOFF MAY | EBR | TEAM HERO EBR | 2:01.860 | SP1 |
| 20 | 32 |  SHERIDAN MORAIS | KAWASAKI | IRON BRAIN KAWASAKI SBK | NO TIME | SP1 |
| 21 | 71 | CLAUDIO CORTI | MV AGUSTA | MV AGUSTA REPARTO CORSE | 2:02.097 | FP2 |
| 22 | 20 | AARON YATES | EBR | TEAM HERO EBR | 2:02.289 | FP3 |
| 23 | 74 |  GABOR RIZMAYER | BMW | BMW TEAM TOTH | 2:03.168 | FP3 |
| 24 | 10 | IMRE TOTH | BMW | BMW TEAM TOTH | 2:04.172 | FP3 |
