Spain GP. 1st qualifying practice

Provisional first row for the Repsol honda team in europe
The Motorcycling World Championship has finally landed in Europe and the first qualifying session of the Spanish Grand Prix has been held today at the reshaped Circuit of Jerez. In the highest category, Rossi and his Repsol Honda have been the reference once again, making the fastest time both in the free practice and in the timed session. His teammate Tohru Ukawa, recent winner of the South African Grand Prix, has also proven to be in best shape, making the third fastest time in both sessions. In the 250cc, the results of the morning practice predicted a timed session with Fonsi Nieto, fastest, and Toni Elías, fifth, in the front positions. But the changing weather conditions – with much higher temperatures in the afternoon – and problems with the bikes’ suspensions, set Nieto and Elías back to the sixth and tenth position respectively, although they both hope to improve their grid positions tomorrow. Daniel Pedrosa is keeping the pace he set in the last 125cc timed sessions and was third fastest today, both in the morning and in the afternoon. His teammate Joan Olivé made the fifteenth fastest time, but only one tenth away from the ten leading riders, showing the evenness we’ve witnessed today among the 125cc riders.