Estoril, Sept 07: Capirossi takes pole position for Portuguese MotoGP. Italy's Loris Capirossi snatched pole position on Saturday (September 6) for Sunday's Portuguese MotoGP by taking back the practice record at the Estoril track from world champion Valentino Rossi. Championship leader Rossi set the fastest time on Friday but slid down to third place on the grid after Capirossi rode his Ducati round the bumpy, twisting, 4.2-km track in one minute 38.412 seconds. Rossi is still the favourite after winning in Portugal in 2001 and 2002 but compatriot Max Biaggi edged ahead of him in Saturday's qualifying practice to take second place on the starting grid. Biaggi lies third in the world rankings with six races left and needs a good result at Estoril as the MotoGP campaign enters the home straight.


Also starting on the front row on Sunday will be Spain's Sete Gibernau, who is second in the championship after pushing Rossi hard this season.


The Honda rider finished a disappointing fourth in the second qualifying session after making two visits to the pits.


In the 250cc category Toni Elias of Spain is on pole position ahead of Randy de Puniet of France. Championship leader Manuel Poggiali is fourth on the grid, after crashing without injury.


In the 125cc event, San Marino's Aprilia-riding Alex de Angelis, who is fourth in the standings, edged ahead of Spanish championship leader Daniel Pedrosa for pole position.


Also starting on the front row will be Spain's Jorge Lorenzo, followed by Italian rider Stefano Perugini.


Perugini had a nasty moment when he collided with Stefano Bianco in the middle of the track. The two slid together along the road with other bikes taking avoiding action behind them.



Leading grid positions: MotoGP 1. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati one minute 38.412 seconds 2. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:38.718 3. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Honda 1:38.744 4. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:38.920 5. Olivier Jacque (France) Yamaha 1:39.042 6. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Yamaha 1:39.159 7. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:39.225 8. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:39.344 9. Makoto Tamada (Japan) Honda 1:39.368 10. Tohru Ukawa (Japan) Honda 1:39.541


250cc 1. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 1:42.255 2. Randy de Puniet (France) Aprilia 1:42.458 3. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 1:42.554 4. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 1:42.675 5. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 1:42.682 6. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 1:42.892 7. Roberto Rolffo (Italy) Honda 1:42.902 8. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:43.009 9. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 1:43.149 10. Alex Debon (Spain) Honda 1:43.340


125cc 1. Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 1:45.580 2. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1:46.106 3. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Derbi 1:46.278 4. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 1:46.323 5. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:46.330 6. Marco Simoncelli (Italy) Aprilia 1:46.414 7. Gino Borsoi (Italy) Aprilia 1:46.449 8. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 1:46.479 9. Steve Jenkner (Germany) Aprilia 1:46.739 10. Gabor Talmacsi (Hungary) Aprilia 1:46.793


Bureau Report