Barcelona, June 14: Italian MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi produced a blistering last lap first official qualifying session to claim provisional pole for the Catalan Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Honda rider, who has won in Catalunya for the last two years, smashed Max Biaggi's pole position record by over half a second on Friday (June 13), as he roared around the 4.7-kilometre circuit near Barcelona in a time of one minute 43.927 seconds. Ducati rider Loris Capirossi was second quickest, just over four tenths of a second back on his compatriot, while local favourite Sete Gibernau and Japan's Shinya Nakano made up the provisional front row. Capirossi is out to improve on last week's second place in Italy and claim the first non-Japanese victory in the blue riband class for nearly 30 years. Biaggi, who is Rossi's nearest rival in the world championship standings, had to settle for a place on the second row of the grid after taking a diversion on to the gravel.


The Italian will be joined by Makoto Tamada, Alex Barros and Aprilia rider Colin Edwards on the second row.


Rossi, who leads the world championship standings by 32 points, looked as though he might be dislodged from the pole by Gibernau in the closing minutes of the session.


But the Italian never looked rattled and produced a series of flawless laps to stamp his authority on the rest of the field before Sunday's (June 15) race.


Rossi is just one victory short of equalling five-times world champion and his present team boss Mike Doohan's record of 54 grand prix wins.


Former world champion Kenny Roberts confirmed he will miss Sunday's race because of injuries sustained in last week's race in Italy. The American, who won the world championship in 2000, collided with Suzuki team mate John Hopkins in Mugello. Roberts hopes to return to action in the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen in two weeks' time.


Times from Friday's first official qualifying session: 1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Honda one minute 43.927 seconds 2. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 1:44.333 3. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:44.366 4. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Yamaha 1:44.765 5. Makoto Tamada (Japan) Honda 1:44.922 6. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:45.065 7. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Aprilia 1:45.106 8. Alex Barros (Brazil) Yamaha 1:45.139 9. Tohru Ukawa (Japan) Honda 1:45.283 10. Olivier Jacque (France) Yamaha 1:45.369 11. John Hopkins (U.S.) Suzuki 1:45.516 12. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:45.582 13. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:45.590 14. Marco Melandri (Italy) Yamaha 1:46.061 15. Akira Yanagawa (Japan) Kawasaki 1:46.226 16. Noriyuki Haga (Japan) Aprilia 1:46.297 17. Nicky Haden (U.S.) Honda 1:46.300 18. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Japan) Honda 1:47.251 19. Jeremy McWilliams (Britain) Proton KR 1:47.462 20. Andrew Pitt (Australia) Kawasaki 1:47.473 21. Garry McCoy (Australia) Kawasaki 1:47.505 22. Nobuatsu Aoki (Japan) Proton KR 1:48.895


Randy de Puniet of France took the honours in the 250cc class, heading four Aprilias at the top of the qualification table. He was followed by Spain's Toni Elias, Manuel Poggiali of San Marino and Franco Battaini from Italy.


Sylvain Guintoli of France, who was 10th fastest, and Spain's Alvaro Molina, 24th, came off but escaped with bruises.


250cc 1. Randy De Puniet (France) Aprilia 1'47.117 2. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 1'47.551 3. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 1'48.061 4. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 1'48.229 5. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 1'48.371 6. Anthony West (Australia) Aprilia 1'48.892 7. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) 1'49.095 8. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 1'49.260 9. Roberto Rolfo (Italy) Honda 1'49.313 10 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 1'49.412


Lucio Cecchinello of Italy rode his Aprilia to the top of the 125cc table, beating Alex de Angelis of San Marino, also on an Aprilia, and Honda rider Daniel Pedrosa of Spain.


Max Sabbatani of Italy and Germany's Steve Jenkner collided spectacularly, but they were able to walk away from the crash. Jenkner finished ninth fastest but Sabbatini was outside the qualification time.


125cc 1. Lucio Cecchinello (Italy) Aprilia 1'51.403 2. Alex De Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 1'51.417 3. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1'51.453 4. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1'51.636 5. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 1'51.793 6. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 1'51.908 7. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 1'52.011 8. Casey Stoner (Australia) Aprilia 1'52.107 9. Steve Jenkner (Germany) Aprilia 1'52.222 10. Jorge Lorenzo (Spain) Derbi 1'52.295


Bureau Report