Spain GP. 2nd qualifying practice

Third pole position of the season for Valentino Rossi
Evenness has been the main feature of the second official practice at the Spanish GP, and the Repsol Honda Team has managed to get its third pole position of the season thanks to Valentino Rossi, with 1.42.193 as fastest time, ahead of Alex Barros and Loris Capirossi. The three leading riders of the class are separated by only four tenths of a second. Tohru Ukawa got a place on the second row of the grid with the sixth fastest time while Valentino Rossi’s aim is to get a new victory thus consolidating his leadership in the World Championship. Fonsi Nieto has been second in the 250 cc with Franco Battaini getting the pole. Nieto’s performance has been very regular, proving to be a clear aspirant for the podium. Unfortunately Toni Elías had some problems and finished tenth fastest, despite keeping a clear progression during the whole session. In the 125 cc it was Pablo Nieto who took the control, making the fastest time in a really interesting session, with the pole being decided in the last minutes. Nieto had to fight for the leadership against Vincent and Poggiali, while Dani Pedrosa made the eighth fastest time. Pedrosa did not manage to improve yesterday’s times. He hurt his hand in a crash during this morning’s free practice and that hindered him from riding at a hundred percent. His teammate Joan Olivé finished twelfth fastest.