Phillip Island : 125cc final qualifyingPolaris World rider Mattia Pasini took his ninth pole of the 2007 season today at Phillip Island, meaning that Sunday's GMC Australian Grand Prix race will see him get away from the front of the grid for the third round in succession.
Pasini, who will move up to the 250cc class next season, goes in search of his fifth win of the year this weekend as he attempts to push for third place in the World Championship –following his nightmare start to the current campaign.
After being fourth on the provisional grid overnight Pasini improved on his Friday best by 1.486s, with a lap of 1'38.078s, to take pole.
Meanwhile provisional pole man and World Championship leader Gabor Talmacsi (Bancaja Aspar) has ended up 12th as he could not better his QP1 effort, with the rest of the front runners considerably upping their pace.
Behind Pasini on the grid is Raffaele de Rosa (Multimedia Racing) and the front row is completed by Lukas Pesek (Valsir Seedorf Derbi) and Tomoyoshi Koyama (Red Bull KTM).
The second row of the grid comprises Simone Corsi (Skilled Racing Team), Hector Faubel (Bancaja Aspar), Faubel's team-mate Sergio Gadea and Joan Olive (Polaris World), while the top ten also includes Sandro Cortese (Emmi Caffe Latte) and Esteve Rabat (Repsol Honda).
DORNA / CAPSIS International
