Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s FIM 250cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Manuel Poggiali, Aprilia, 1:54.290
2. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 1:54.676
3. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 1:54.688
4. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 1:55.552
5. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 1:55.639
6. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 1:56.444
7. Sebastian Porto, Honda, 1:56.524
8. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 1:56.959
9. Johan Stigefelt, Aprilia, 1:57.112
10. Joan Olive, Aprilia, 1:57.117
11. Hector Faubel, Aprilia, 1:57.352
12. Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia, 1:57.659
13. Anthony West, Aprilia, 1:57.685
14. Erwan Nigon, Aprilia, 1:57.814
15. Hugo Marchand, Aprilia, 1:58.497
16. Alex Debon, Honda, 1:58.570
17. Christian Gemmel, Honda, 1:58.576
18. Chaz Davies, Aprilia, 1:58.790
19. Alex Baldolini, Aprilia, 1:59.034
20. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 1:59.938

Not qualified (Out 107%) 2:02.290

98 Katja Poensgen, Honda, 2:04.649


Friday’s FIM 125cc Qualifying Results:



1. Youichi Ui, Aprilia, 1:59.406
2. Casey Stoner, Aprilia, 1:59.492
3. Pablo Nieto, Aprilia, 1:59.544
4. Lucio Cecchinello, Aprilia, 1:59.609
5. Daniel Pedrosa, Honda, 1:59.647
6. Steve Jenkner, Aprilia, 1:59.767
7. Stefano Perugini, Aprilia, 1:59.783
8. Alex De Angelis, Aprilia, 2:00.117
9. Gino Borsoi, Aprilia, 2:00.209
10. Gioele Pelllino, Aprilia, 2:00.491
11. Jorge Lorenzo, Derbi, 2:00.617
12. Simone Corsi, Honda, 2:00.630
13. Mirko Giansanti, Aprilia, 2:00.701
14. Max Sabbatani, Aprilia, 2:00.739
15. Gabor Talmacsi, Aprilia, 2:00.828
16. Arnaud Vincent, KTM, 2:00.863
17. Thomas Luthi, Honda, 2:00.970
18. Andrea Dovizioso, Honda, 2:01.002
19. Emilio Alzamora, Derbi, 2:01.236
20. Hector Barbera, Aprilia, 2:01.340


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia Racing Information:

PROVISIONAL POLE FOR THE HOME GRAND PRIX

After the unlucky French GP, Manuel Poggiali started to ride again on hi Aprilia and he feels at 100%. On the other hand the Aprilia rider is leading the world championship thanks to his two victories and a fourth place. Manuel will try to maintain his supremacy on the exciting and fast track of Mugello with a speed average of 165 km/h. Today Manuel has been the fastest one before Nieto and De Puniet.

Manuel Poggiali: “This day of practices has been very positive. I worked in order to be at 100% for the race testing different suspension regulations and several tyres. Here we already got a good base and during last winter tests we made the major part of the work so today we just refined that material. My objective is the improvement of the feeling with the bike and I feel quite satisfied about it. So I achieved the best lap time and also a good pace for the whole session. It’s really hot but I do not care while I am riding. Only the tyres will suffer the hot temperature. It’s all new for me and I have many things to learn as demonstrated in the last two GPs. In particular I understood how hard is to end the race wit the used tyres in the last Spanish GP: at that time I was a bit surprised but now I feel more confident.”