Shanghai : 125cc – Day OneDespite his highly problematic start to the 2007 World Championship, Mattia Pasini continues to do the business in 125cc qualifying sessions and has today taken provisional pole for the Sinopec Great Wall Lubricants Grand Prix of China.
The
Italian Polaris World rider has been the victim of an unbelievably cruel series of technical problems which have prevented him from finishing all three Grands Prix so far this season, despite qualifying on the front row for each race and in pole position in the last two.
The 21 year-old from Rimini, who took his first Grand Prix victory in Shanghai two years ago, is bravely facing up to all obstacles placed in his path and took provisional pole for Sunday's race by an impressive 0.438s margin ahead of Valsir Seedorf Derbi rival Lukas Pesek.
In the customary half hour Friday first qualifying practice which took place from 1.05pm local time, the Aprilia equipped Bancaja Aspar duo of Gabor Talmacsi and Sergio Gadea complete the provisional front row, with team-mate Hector Faubel just behind them.
Turkish Grand Prix winner Simone Corsi (Skilled Racing Team) is provisionally sixth, followed by the ever improving Bradley Smith (Repsol Honda 125cc), Sandro Cortese (Emmi – Caffe Latte Aprilia), Tomoyoshi Koyama (Red Bull KTM 125) and Michael Ranseder (Ajo Motorsport), with all four 125cc manufacturers being represented in the top ten."
DORNA / CAPSIS International
