Bautista takes provisional Donington 250cc pole

Yet to qualify off the front row in 2008, Alvaro Bautista was the fastest rider in the 250cc class as he put himself in provisional pole for the bwin.com British Grand Prix. His 1´31.834 lap of the Donington Park circuit –just 0.175 slower than Jorge Lorenzo´s pole position record- concluded the Friday afternoon World Championship activity.

The rider who beat Bautista in a last lap duel at the previous round, Marco Simoncelli is also on a run of front row starts. If he can confirm or improve his placing from the opening day, it will be four consecutive races at which the Metis Gilera man has started from the first line of attack, with wins at the past two Grands Prix.

Quickest in the first free practice session, Hector Barbera joins Bautista and Simoncelli on the potential front row, alongside Emmi-Caffe Latte´s Thomas Luthi. A second separated Bautista and Luthi´s respective times.

JiR Team Scot´s Yuki Takahashi was fifth fastest, ahead of a fellow Japanese rider in the form of KTM man Hiroshi Aoyama. Julian Simon and Aleix Espargaro completed the temporary second line, which could become the permanent placing if rain affects tomorrow´s final qualifying session.

Championship contenders Mika Kallio and Mattia Pasini finished eleventh and twelfth fastest, with the latter falling in an innocuous lowside.