Just after the start of the timed classification session both Nicky Hayden and Dani Pedrosa were setting competitive times, with steady laps of around low 1’59s and high 1’58s. Fifteen minutes from the end and using classification tyres the American got into second place at his first attempt to reach the pole. His second lap saw him improve by 2 tenths, although it was not enough to succeed. Pedrosa got into fourth place with his first attempt with classification tyres and was 7 tenths behind Stoner, whilst on his second and definitive lap he moved up one place and set a time just under 3 tenths behind the fastest rider.
In 250cc the two Repsol Honda Team riders demonstrated that they were very competitive during the second and definitive timed session. Both Shuhei Aoyama and Julián Simón were always among the leading eight riders, and had the objective of getting a place on the second row of the grid which would give them a chance of putting in a good performance tomorrow. Julián Simón in the end set the seventh best time and his team mate Shuhei Aoyama the eighth. There were poor performances by the two Repsol Honda Team riders in 125cc.
They were near the back in the morning and in the afternoon, in the second and definitive classification session, did not get the results they were hoping for. Bradley Smith, who was 14th in the first timed session, improved and moved up to 13th, and will start on the fourth row of the grid. His team mate Esteve Rabat, 13th yesterday, fell back to 18th this afternoon and so will start from the fifth row. Both riders have lacked pace over the two days training but are dying to race tomorrow.
