Barcelona, June 15: World champion Valentino Rossi will start Sunday's Catalan Grand Prix from pole position after no one was able to improve on his Friday qualifying session time of one minute 43.927. Hot weather at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona on Saturday (June 14) saw some riders struggling with tyre performance. The Italian Honda rider clocked one minute 43.927 seconds on Friday and posted the fastest time again in the second session, completing the 4.7-km circuit in 1:44.256 to stamp his authority on the race. In baking temperatures, no one could get near Rossi's time from Friday and the Italian will start on Sunday as favourite to make it four wins out of six races this season and extend his 32-point lead at the head of the standings. The front row of the grid will be completed by Italian Ducati rider Loris Capirossi, Frenchman Olivier Jacque on a Yamaha and Spanish Honda rider Sete Gibernau. Of that quartet, only Jacque was able to improve on his time from Friday, moving up from 10th to third thanks to a late run of 1:44.358 that just squeezed inside Gibernau's best from the first session.


Alex Barros of Brazil was fifth and Japan's Shinya Nakano sixth, both on Yamahas. Max Biaggi, second in the championship, was in trouble down in a lowly ninth place.


In the 250cc category Randy de Puniet of France was fastest, followed by championship leader Manuel Poggiali. Toni Elias of Spain was third. Only Poggiali of the top three improved on his Friday time in the heat.


Pablo Nieto of Spain will lead the 125cc bikes from pole position with Andrea Dovizioso and Lucio Cecchinello of Italy second and third. All three improved on their Friday times to qualify.


Leading qualifying places for the Grand Prix de Catalunya posted on Saturday MotoGP 1. Valentino Rossi Italy Honda 1:43.927 2. Loris Capirossi Italy Ducati 1:44.333 3. Olivier Jacque France Yamaha 1:44.358 4. Sete Gibernau Spain Honda 1:44.366 5. Alex Barros Brazil Yamaha 1:44.642 6. Shinya Nakano Japan Yamaha 1:44.672 7. Colin Edwards USA Aprilia 1:44.708 8. Carlos Checa Spain Yamaha 1:44.790 9. Max Biaggi Italy Honda 1:44.848


250cc 1. Randy de Puniet France Aprilia 1:47.117 2. Manuel Poggiali San Marino Aprilia 1:47.284 3. Toni Elias Spain Aprilia 1:47.551 4. Franco Battaini Italy Aprilia 1:47.904 5. Sebastien Porto Argentina Honda 1:48.022 6. Fonsi Nieto Spain Aprilia 1:48.122


125cc 1. Pablo Nieto Spain Aprilia 1:51.043 2. Andrea Dovizioso Italy Honda 1:51.220 3. Lucio Cecchinello Italy Aprilia 1:51.281 4. Hector Barbera Spain Aprilia 1:51.281 5. Alex de Angelis San Marino Aprilia 1:51.417 6. Daniel Pedrosa Spain Honda 1:51.453 7. Youichi Ui Japan Aprilia 1:51.977


Bureau Report