The first day of official qualifying for the Rio Grand Prix ended with provisional pole position for Telefónica MoviStar Honda MotoGP rider Sete Gibernau. The Spaniard set the pace from the fourth lap and re-established his dominance five minutes from the end as first Max Biaggi and then Valentino Rossi made pole attacks only to be outdone by Gibernau in a time of 1’48”618, four tenths quicker than the previous record here at the Nelson Piquet set by Rossi last season with 1’50”453. The warm Brazilian winter, which saw ambient temperatures of 27ºC, rising to 36ºC on the track, demanded extra effort from the riders on the bumpy and slippery Jacarepaguá circuit. Colin Edwards was lapping fourth fastest when the qualification tyres came into effect, finally slipping to twelfth place despite also lapping in lap record at the Brazilian track.
SETE GIBERNAU
(1st, 1’48”618): “As far as I am concerned Sunday starts today and we have done a good job with our preparations for the race. We are very focused on improving my performance and that of the bike. Provisional pole position is circumstancial – the important thing is that I have a good feeling and I have set a rhythm in the 1’49 on race tyres from the start. It will be a hard race because of the competition and the heat so I am satisfied to have set so many quick laps. Tomorrow the aim is to do an endurance test. Last year I did 18 laps and I was the only one who could follow Valentino in the race. That is what I want to do again tomorrow”.
COLIN EDWARDS
(12th, 1’50”164): “I’m fairly happy today because I’ve got a good rhythm on race tyres – I was consistent in 1’50”3. Tomorrow I want to do an endurance to prepare myself properly for the race and step up my rhythm, which should be in the mid-49s to low 50s. The front end tucked on my fast lap and it cost me a half a second, but it’s not a major drama.”
LAP TIMES
- Sete Gibernau (Spa/Honda) 1’48”618
- Makoto Tamada (Jap/Honda) + 0”679
- Alex Barros (Bra/Honda) + 0”681
- Valentino Rossi (Ita/Yamaha) + 0”709
…
12. Colin Edwards (USA/Honda) a 1”546