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Gibernau puts Kato`s RCV on provisional pole.
                        
Catalan Sete Gibernau didn't disappoint his masses of home fans today
at Jerez, as he followed up on his Africa's GP victory by putting his
ex-Daijiro Kato RCV onto provisional pole position for Sunday's
Spanish Grand Prix - on his first outing with the full works bike.

Kenny Roberts had turned heads by topping the times in morning free
practice, with a pace 0.5secs outside the 2002 pole time, but still
inside the fastest lap from last year's GP. With team-mate John
Hopkins sixth fastest it looked as though Suzuki may finally be
finding some speed from the 2003 spec GSV-R, but this afternoon's one
hour session would be the true test.

Also impressing this morning was local hero Carlos Checa, second
fastest on his Fortuna Yamaha, with Gibernau fourth, behind Valentino
Rossi.<br><br>Meanwhile both Ducatis were in the top eight; much is
expected of them this weekend when for the first time they tackle a
circuit they've previously tested on.

Into this afternoon's first qualifier and Repsol rider Rossi set the
pace on just his third lap, to head Capirossi (+0.562secs), Gibernau,
Barros, Ukawa and Checa after the first 20mins.

Roberts was still showing form by sitting seventh at the half way
mark, ahead of McWilliams, Haga, Nakano, Edwards, Tamada and Bayliss.

But that was nothing compared with the lap the American punched out
with 20mins to go - a stunning 1min 43.026secs effort that propelled
him into second, just 0.057secs behind the #46, and almost 0.5secs
clear of next nearest rival Capirossi.
Suzuki and/or KR JR might just have got their act together...

A further shock would follow five minutes later when Nobuatsu Aoki put
last year's KR3 two-stroke into... sixth! The Japanese was just
0.69secs off Rossi's pole position, 0.2secs from the front row (Rossi,
Roberts, Gibernau and now Checa) and embarrassing more than a few of
the factory four-stroke manufacturers.

To put his time into perspective, Aoki was 2secs faster than the top
Kawasaki of wild-card Alex Hofmann in 20th. Maybe the V5 won't be seen
for a while.

Into the last ten minutes and the 'Wonder from Down Under' made his
presence felt. Having led his first GP at Welkom - and battled with
the best MotoGP hs to offer - Troy Bayliss proved he's here to win by
putting his Desmosedici onto provisional pole by 0.130secs.

Five minutes to go and the Ducati team were pinching themselves as
first Bayliss pushed pole a tenth further away from the field, then
team-mate Capirossi made it an all red top two, as he slotted into
second, 0.163secs behind the Australian.

But with the top six (Bayliss, Capirossi, Rossi, Roberts, Gibernau and
Ukawa) covered by 0.5secs, provisional pole would go down to the wire,
with Rossi yet to improve on his third lap effort.<br><br>One minute
to go and Sete Gibernau set Spain screaming as he put Daijiro Kato's
former factory RCV on top, by 0.389secs - with the electric action
continuing as Rossi then took second, momentarily, before Ukawa moved
ahead as the Honda trio pushed Bayliss to the outside of the front
row.

Capirossi fought back on his final lap of the day, netting third for
the Italian team and signalling that Ducati will be real contenders
for their first MotoGP pole, in tomorrow's decisive second qualifier.

Ukawa will be pleased with his provisional second after a lacklustre
Africa's GP, but Rossi won't be happy with the outside of the front
row - especially after being beating by two riders (Gibernau and
Ukawa) on equal machinery.

Roberts holds sixth behind Bayliss to give Suzuki something to build
on, while Hopkins added to the Suzuki smiles with a late session
eighth, just behind Checa.

Aoki's ninth confirms that even without a four-stroke Team KR will be
in the thick of the action on Sunday, while those with plenty of work
to do overnight include regular front runners Biaggi and Barros (who
fell this morning), left in 12th and 13th places respectively and
Colin Edwards (just 19th).

Rossi's Repsol team-mate Nicky Hayden had a mediocre session,
qualifying 16th, just ahead of McWilliams and Olivier Jacque, while
MotoGP returnee Marco Melandri was 18th, 1.8secs from pole after a
confidence building day.

Kawasaki were once again unable to match the pace up front and their
three riders currently fill the final three grid spots, with wild-card
Hofmann upping his personal kudos by outpacing both regular riders
Pitt (21st) and McCoy (22nd).

--
-Michael
Div. Aprilia RS250-dele til salg på:
http://62.79.120.117/
(opdateret 5-5-2003)