Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Saturday’s 250cc Grand Prix Qualifying Results:

1. Daniel PEDROSA, Honda, 1:37.123
2. Randy DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 1:37.407
3. Sebastian PORTO, Aprilia, 1:37.436
4. Manuel POGGIALI, Aprilia, 1:38.007
5. Toni ELIAS, Honda, 1:38.536
6. Franco BATTAINI, Aprilia, 1:38.674
7. Fonsi NIETO, Aprilia, 1:38.903
8. Roberto ROLFO, Honda, 1:39.085
9. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Honda, 1:39.088
10. Alex DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 1:39.151
11. Sylvain GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 1:39.163
12. Anthony WEST, Aprilia, 1:39.314
13. Alex DEBON, Honda, 1:39.360
14. Eric BATAILLE, Honda, 1:39.516
15. Hector FAUBEL, Aprilia, 1:39.775
16. Joan OLIVE, Aprilia, 1:39.828
17. Dirk HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 1:39.936
18. Jakub SMRZ, Honda, 1:39.976
19. Naoki MATSUDO, Yamaha, 1:40.201
20. Chaz DAVIES, Aprilia, 1:40.216


Final Combined 250cc GP Qualifying Results:

1. PEDROSA, Honda, 1:37.123
2. DE PUNIET, Aprilia, 1:37.407
3. PORTO, Aprilia, 1:37.436
4. POGGIALI, Aprilia, 1:38.007
5. ELIAS, Honda, 1:38.536
6. BATTAINI, Aprilia, 1:38.674
7. Fonsi NIETO, Aprilia, 1:38.903
8. ROLFO, Honda, 1:39.085
9. AOYAMA, Honda, 1:39.088
10. DE ANGELIS, Aprilia, 1:39.151
11. GUINTOLI, Aprilia, 1:39.163
12. WEST, Aprilia, 1:39.314
13. DEBON, Honda, 1:39.360
14. BATAILLE, Honda, 1:39.516
15. FAUBEL, Aprilia, 1:39.775
16. OLIVE, Aprilia, 1:39.828
17. HEIDOLF, Aprilia, 1:39.936
18. SMRZ, Honda, 1:39.976
19. DAVIES, Aprilia, 1:40.144
20. MATSUDO, Yamaha, 1:40.201


More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:

Alex to start from third row in Le Mans

Aprilia Racing rider Alex de Angelis qualified his RSW250 in 10th position for tomorrow’s French 250 GP at the Le Mans circuit.

The San Marino rider finished with a best time of 1.39.151 but slipped slightly down the standings from yesterday. Showing just how competitive this year’s world 250 championship is, Alex was 0.5s inside Marco Melandri’s 2002 lap record, but he had to settle for a place on row three for tomorrow’s 26-lap race.

Despite a hard day, Alex gained more valuable experience on the RSW250 that should put him in contention for another positive result in his rookie 250 campaign. Alex has yet to finish outside of the top six in 2004 and he will be looking to continue that impressive start.

His chief engineer Giovanni Sandi said: “Alex is learning and growing all the time with the 250. This is not an easy circuit when you have come from a 125 to a 250, the power is very different, but Alex is gaining experience and we are confident he will show his potential in the race.”


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia:

Poggiali claims front row in Le Mans

MS Aprilia Racing’s Manuel Poggiali will start the French 250 GP in Le Mans from the front row of the grid after posting the fourth fastest time in this afternoon’s final qualifying session.

The San Marino rider has now qualified on the front row of the grid in each of the first three races of the 2004 world championship, and he will be hoping to convert today’s fine performance into a first rostrum tomorrow.

The reigning world champion emerged unscatched from a crash in the dying seconds of the session to post a best time of 1.38.007. That was a vast improvement of 0.6s from yesterday’s session.

“The bike is working very well and that is why we could improve by so much today. I crashed right at the end of the session because I was just going a little bit too fast into the corner. We have been working towards the set-up for the race and I’ve found a tyre that will be good tomorrow, “said Poggiali.