Mahias battles Caricasulo, Cortese for Argentina pole

Full World Supersport qualifying results from Argentina

Lucas Mahias has seen off both GRT Yamaha team-mate Federico Caricasulo and World Supersport championship leader Sandro Cortese for the first-ever pole position at Circuito San Juan Villicum in a thrilling Superpole qualifying.

The reigning World Supersport champion traded fastest lap times with both riders in the closing minutes of Superpole 2 to grab his fifth pole of the season with a 1m 43.026s at the new Argentina round.

Caricasulo made it a GRT Yamaha one-two in second place by edging ahead of Cortese who completes the front row on the Kallio Racing Yamaha.

Jules Cluzel had to settle for the front of the second row for NRT Yamaha having failed to match the front row sitters as he aims to carry his momentum from victory last time out at Magny-Cours.

Cluzel’s NRT Yamaha team-mate Thomas Gradinger claimed fifth place ahead of Randy Krummenacher with Corentin Perolari in seventh for an all-Yamaha top seven.

Kyle Smith grabbed eighth place in qualifying for CIA Landlords Insurance Honda with Hannes Soomer heading up row four having progressed through Superpole 1 for Racedays Honda with Loris Cresson in 10^th for Kallio Racing Yamaha.

Raffaelle De Rosa crashed out late on in Superpole 2 for MV Agusta to fade to 11^th with Luke Stapleford in 12^th for Profile Racing Yamaha.