Jerez : 250cc grid250cc Spanish star Alvaro Bautista sent fans at Jerez home happy, with a quarter litre class pole position in the final activity of the day adding to their elation.
The Mapfre Aspar rider and former 125cc World Champion cut nearly a second off
his Friday best time to take his first top spot of the season.
Bautista clocked a time of 1´43.071 to dislodge Red Bull KTM´s Mika Kallio from the head of the grid, with a difference of just 0.040 separating the two riders. Joining both on the front row of the grid on Sunday will be Lotus Aprilia´s Alex Debon, providing the Spanish veteran experiences no lasting effects of a last minute tumble that left him in some discomfort.
Row one is completed by Emmi-Caffe Latte´s Thomas Luthi, with the second line of attack housing the KTM-running duo of Julian Simon and Hiroshi Aoyama, home rider Hector Barbera and Roberto Locatelli from Metis Gilera. The latter´s performance deserves special attention, coming after the practice crash at the Circuito de Jerez last year that left many doubting if he would ever ride again.
As in 125cc, the current World Championship leader was unable to place higher than the third row, as Polaris World´s Mattia Pasini finished the afternoon in tenth.
DORNA / CAPSIS International
