Pasini asserts himself ahead of qualifying

Local rider Mattia Pasini was the fastest 250cc rider on Saturday morning at Misano.

Setting the pace in the 250cc FP2 workout at the Gran Premio Cinzano di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini was Team Toth Aprilia’s Mattia Pasini, who laid down a 1’38.895s lap at the end of the session, having set a good pace throughout the hour-long practice.

One of several World Championship competitors to come from the Rimini area Pasini was the 2007 125cc race-winner at Misano, but he did not finish the 250cc contest last year and is therefore determined to put things right this weekend. A good showing in the final morning practice sets him up nicely ahead of qualifying this afternoon.

Trailing Pasini by three tenths of a second was Friday’s fastest rider Spaniard Héctor Barberá (Pepe World Team), whilst another local lad Marco Simoncelli (Metis Gilera) was third quickest with a best effort half a second behind Pasini’s.

Championship leader Hiroshi Aoyama (Scot Racing Team) and the current runner-up in the standings Álvaro Bautista (Mapfre Aspar Team) were fourth and fifth respectively.

With the riders lapping in the heat again under clear blue skies the top ten also featured Mike di Meglio (Mapfre Aspar), Raffaele de Rosa (Scot Racing), Alex Debon (Aeropuerto-Castello-Blusens), Roberto Locatelli (Metis Gilera) and Héctor Faubel (Valencia CF - Honda SAG).