On 250cc provisional poleThe 250cc title holder and current World Champion Jorge Lorenzo was back in control of the quarter litre category after the first day's action at the Sinopec Great Wall Lubricants Grand Prix of China as he took provisional pole for Sunday's race.
Having won the opening two races of his title defence Lorenzo missed out in the last round of the championship in Turkey to Andrea Dovizioso, crossing the line in second place behind the Italian – both riders finishing the race in the positions which they had started in.
With his deadly rival Hector Barbera the fastest in the morning session in China, Fortuna Aprilia's Lorenzo scored an important psychological battle as he took provisional pole by 0.311s from second fastest rider Julian Simon (Repsol Honda 250cc), with a lap of 2'05.276 – and in doing so set a new 250cc circuit best lap record.
Another Spanish World Champion, last year's 125cc category winner Alvaro Bautista of Master Mapfre – Aspar, was third quickest with a time just 0.063s behind Simon's, again demonstrating his competitiveness in the quarter litre class.
Another Honda rider featured in fourth on the timesheets, Kopron Team Scot's Grand Prix of Turkey winner Andrea Dovizioso who recorded a time 0.530s off Lorenzo's pace setting lap.
The top five was completed by this morning's fastest rider Barbera, who lapped in 2'05.900, which was 0.686s better than his early session best, but still 0.624s slower than Lorenzo's rapid provisional pole lap.
The 250cc riders will re-emerge at 11.15am local time on Saturday for their second free practice session ahead of their final qualifying practice in the afternoon.
DORNA / CAPSIS International
