Sept 06: Loris Capirossi took pole position in a dramatic climax to Saturday's qualifying session for the Portuguese MotoGP. World champion Valentino Rossi was leading the timesheets with seven minutes to go at Estoril when Max Biaggi set a new fastest lap on the Camel Pramac Honda.
Ducati Marlboro rider Capirossi then charged from 12th to first with a storming qualifying lap record of one minute 38.412 seconds.

And the Italian's time was enough to hold off Biaggi and Rossi, who both narrrowly failed to snatch pole in the final seconds. Rossi's championship rival Sete Gibernau, who trails him by 34 points, recovered after crashing out at turn five to set the fourth fastest time on the spare Telefonica Movistar Honda. Frenchman Olivier Jacque, who was second behind Rossi on Friday, was held up on the last lap just as he was about to mount a bid for the front row.

Bureau Report