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Rossi shows who`s boss with new pole record
Donnington, July 12: Valentino Rossi asserted his authority over pretenders to his Donington Park throne with a new pole record at the Leicestershire circuit.
Donnington, July 12: Valentino Rossi asserted his authority over pretenders to his Donington Park throne with a new pole record at the Leicestershire circuit.
MotoGP World Champion clocked a best time of 1'31.196 aboard the Honda RC211V, beating his own previous best at the circuit on the same machine by around half a second, to see off the challenge of former World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, who had snatched top spot with just a couple of minutes remaining of the session. "That was a pretty good first day - better than last year at least," said Rossi. "We still need to do much more work to find the best tyre but we are in a good position. We also need to work hard to find the right gearing as at the moment I have a wheelie problem. Especially coming out of the slow parts of the circuit - like the loop and onto the start/finish straight. We will talk to the team tonight and will work hard for tomorrow and for the race on Sunday." MotoGP rookie Bayliss, who crashed out in the morning and in the afternoon, has plenty of experience at this circuit and put his local knowledge to good use to revive his flagging fortunes on the Ducati Desmosedici. Although Bayliss' time was not enough to deny Rossi, it withstood pressure from Sete Gibernau and Carlos Checa to hold firm in second spot, as the two Spaniards completed the provisional front row on the Honda and the Yamaha. Loris Capirossi flirted briefly with the top positions but was pushed out to the second row in fifth place as the battle for positions intensified over the final few laps.
Olivier Jacque was another victim of the late push for times, losing a place on the front row in the dying stages afterlapping consistently quick times throughout the session.
Fonsi Nieto continued his return to form by blitzing the rest of the field with a new pole record in the 250cc class. The Spanish rider, who finished runner-up to Marco Melandri in the quarter-litre category last season, clocked a best lap of 1'33.859 - over half a second quicker than second fastest Manuel Poggiali. Randy De Puniet shook off the effects of a dislocated shoulder, fractured ankle and punctured arm sustained at Assen two weeks ago to set the third fastest time, with Honda rider Roberto Rolfo sealing the final provisional front row slot behind the three Aprilias.
Honda youngsters Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa sent out a warning shot to their Aprilia rivals as they stormed the top two positions in the first qualifying session for the 125cc race. Dovizioso snatched provisional pole position from Pedrosa at the chequered flag after the Spaniard had sprung to the top of the time sheet with just seconds remaining of a session which saw constant changes in the top positions.
Team-mates Pablo Nieto and Hector Barbera, who both finished on the podium at Assen two weeks ago and former Donington winner Stefano Perugini all made brief cameos in pole but were unable to respond to the late Honda assault.
Leading times from Friday's first qualifying session for Sunday's British motorcycling grand prix:
MotoGP 1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Honda one minute 31.196 seconds 2. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:31.278 3. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:31.527 4. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:31.562 5. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 1:31.583 6. Olivier Jacque (France) Yamaha 1:31.655 7. Tohru Ukawa (Japan) Honda 1:31.711 8. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Aprilia 1:31.820 9. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:31.861 10. Alex Barros (Brazil) Yamaha 1:32.039
250 cc 1. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:33.859 2. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 1:34.366 3. Randy De Puniet (France) Aprilia 1:34.633 4. Roberto Rolfo (Italy) Honda 1:34.789 5. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 1:34.814 6. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 1:35.260 7. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 1:35.589 8. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 1:35.670 9. Anthony West (Australia) Aprilia 1:35.725 10. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 1:35.778
125 cc 1. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 1:38.297 2. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1:38.328 3. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 1:38.622 4. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 1:38.675 5. Steve Jenkner (Germany) Aprilia 1:38.718 6. Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 1:38.752 7. Youichi Ui (Japan) Aprilia 1:38.889 8. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:39.020 9. Casey Stoner (Australia) Aprilia 1:39.170 10. Masao Azuma (Japan) Honda 1:39.400
Bureau Report
MotoGP World Champion clocked a best time of 1'31.196 aboard the Honda RC211V, beating his own previous best at the circuit on the same machine by around half a second, to see off the challenge of former World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss, who had snatched top spot with just a couple of minutes remaining of the session. "That was a pretty good first day - better than last year at least," said Rossi. "We still need to do much more work to find the best tyre but we are in a good position. We also need to work hard to find the right gearing as at the moment I have a wheelie problem. Especially coming out of the slow parts of the circuit - like the loop and onto the start/finish straight. We will talk to the team tonight and will work hard for tomorrow and for the race on Sunday." MotoGP rookie Bayliss, who crashed out in the morning and in the afternoon, has plenty of experience at this circuit and put his local knowledge to good use to revive his flagging fortunes on the Ducati Desmosedici. Although Bayliss' time was not enough to deny Rossi, it withstood pressure from Sete Gibernau and Carlos Checa to hold firm in second spot, as the two Spaniards completed the provisional front row on the Honda and the Yamaha. Loris Capirossi flirted briefly with the top positions but was pushed out to the second row in fifth place as the battle for positions intensified over the final few laps.
Olivier Jacque was another victim of the late push for times, losing a place on the front row in the dying stages afterlapping consistently quick times throughout the session.
Fonsi Nieto continued his return to form by blitzing the rest of the field with a new pole record in the 250cc class. The Spanish rider, who finished runner-up to Marco Melandri in the quarter-litre category last season, clocked a best lap of 1'33.859 - over half a second quicker than second fastest Manuel Poggiali. Randy De Puniet shook off the effects of a dislocated shoulder, fractured ankle and punctured arm sustained at Assen two weeks ago to set the third fastest time, with Honda rider Roberto Rolfo sealing the final provisional front row slot behind the three Aprilias.
Honda youngsters Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa sent out a warning shot to their Aprilia rivals as they stormed the top two positions in the first qualifying session for the 125cc race. Dovizioso snatched provisional pole position from Pedrosa at the chequered flag after the Spaniard had sprung to the top of the time sheet with just seconds remaining of a session which saw constant changes in the top positions.
Team-mates Pablo Nieto and Hector Barbera, who both finished on the podium at Assen two weeks ago and former Donington winner Stefano Perugini all made brief cameos in pole but were unable to respond to the late Honda assault.
Leading times from Friday's first qualifying session for Sunday's British motorcycling grand prix:
MotoGP 1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Honda one minute 31.196 seconds 2. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:31.278 3. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:31.527 4. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:31.562 5. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 1:31.583 6. Olivier Jacque (France) Yamaha 1:31.655 7. Tohru Ukawa (Japan) Honda 1:31.711 8. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Aprilia 1:31.820 9. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:31.861 10. Alex Barros (Brazil) Yamaha 1:32.039
250 cc 1. Fonsi Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:33.859 2. Manuel Poggiali (San Marino) Aprilia 1:34.366 3. Randy De Puniet (France) Aprilia 1:34.633 4. Roberto Rolfo (Italy) Honda 1:34.789 5. Toni Elias (Spain) Aprilia 1:34.814 6. Naoki Matsudo (Japan) Yamaha 1:35.260 7. Franco Battaini (Italy) Aprilia 1:35.589 8. Sylvain Guintoli (France) Aprilia 1:35.670 9. Anthony West (Australia) Aprilia 1:35.725 10. Sebastian Porto (Argentina) Honda 1:35.778
125 cc 1. Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) Honda 1:38.297 2. Daniel Pedrosa (Spain) Honda 1:38.328 3. Stefano Perugini (Italy) Aprilia 1:38.622 4. Hector Barbera (Spain) Aprilia 1:38.675 5. Steve Jenkner (Germany) Aprilia 1:38.718 6. Alex de Angelis (San Marino) Aprilia 1:38.752 7. Youichi Ui (Japan) Aprilia 1:38.889 8. Pablo Nieto (Spain) Aprilia 1:39.020 9. Casey Stoner (Australia) Aprilia 1:39.170 10. Masao Azuma (Japan) Honda 1:39.400
Bureau Report