Simoncelli in charge in 250cc qualifying

Metis Gilera’s Marco Simoncelli held off a late challenge from the pretender to his 250cc crown, Hiroshi Aoyama, to take pole at the Cardion AB Czech Republic Grand Prix in perfect riding conditions at Brno.

The Italian had already looked set for his third pole of the year in the final stages of the session when Scot Racing’s championship leader Aoyama laid down a time off 2’01.961 to take provisional pole. Nonetheless Simoncelli fought back on his final lap, riding around Alex Debon (Aeropuerto-Castello-Blusens) to improve on Aoyama’s best by 0.35s.

Héctor Barberá has been in good form so far this weekend and in great form in recent qualifying sessions but he could not add to his three poles from the last four GPs as he qualified in third place for the Pepe World Team, 0.453s behind Simoncelli and just ahead of Debon – who completed the front row.

The second row will comprise Mike di Meglio (Mapfre Aspar), Roberto Locatelli (Metis Gilera), Mattia Pasini (Team Toth Aprilia) and an off-colour Álvaro Bautista (Mapfre Aspar Team), who was more than a second off Simoncelli’s pace and crashed without consequence with less than four minutes remaining.