Dani Pedrosa takes his first pole of the season.
Valentino Rossi in MotoGP, Fonsi Nieto and Toni Elias in the 250cc will also be taking the start from the front row of the starting grid
In the premier category Valentino Rossi found today more resistance than expected, especially from his fellow countrymen Loris Capirossi and Max Biaggi. Despite setting the fastest time yesterday and again this morning, it was Loris Capirossi, winner of the Catalunya Grand Prix two weeks ago, who took the pole in the final instants of the session on his Ducati. Max Biaggi was second, while Rossi had to settle for third, ahead of Carlos Checa, fourth, completing the front row. Rossis team-mate, Nicky Hayden will take the start two rows behind him, with the twelfth fastest time.
In the 250cc, Fonsi Nieto wasnt able to keep his pole position and neither could Toni Elias keep his second place. Both where set back this afternoon by Manuel Poggiali and Randy De Puniet, who took the pole and second position respectively, leaving Elias and Nieto on third and fourth place to complete the front row of the grid. Sebastián Porto, with a great performance, managed to snatch the fifth place on a circuit where his bikes lack of speed and power is a serious obstacle for him. Joan Olivé and Héctor Faubel, thirteenth and fifteenth respectively, managed to get a good rhythm for the race and hope to improve positions tomorrow.
In the 125cc, despite the favourable weather conditions, almost half of the riders had to settle for the times made yesterday due to an excessive grouping during the last laps of the session, seeming a race rather than a practice. A resolute Dani Pedrosa clinched the pole during the afternoons timed session, after overcoming the mechanical problems that had been influencing the performance of his bike yesterday and despite a light crash, with no physical consequences at the end of the session. Héctor Barberá, who touched the Italian Simone Corsi in a corner, while trying to make his fast lap, finally qualified with the time set yesterday on the ninth place of the grid. Pablo Nieto, despite having some problems with the engine of his bike, managed to improve the time he set yesterday and will be starting tomorrow from the eleventh position of the grid.
