Raffaele de Rosa

A final minute shootout for the 125cc pole position was won by Raffaele de Rosa, taking his first ever qualifying top spot at his home circuit.

The Italian Onde 2000 KTM rider was involved in a sprint to the line with reigning World Champion Gabor Talmacsi, both riders on hot laps worthy of pole position but De Rosa´s 2´19.259 just shading it.

Talmacsi was only 0.165 behind as he looked for his first pole position of the season, but had to settle for a fourth front row and a prime opportunity to take the holeshot in tomorrow´s race instead.

The late surge relegated Ajo Motorsport´s World Championship leader Mike di Meglio to third place for the third time this season, the place on the front row showing the Frenchman´s dry riding prowess after two successful wet races in Shanghai and Le Mans. The lack of precipitation on the track also meant that all riders were starting afresh from their Friday runs, with provisional poleman Pol Espargaro demoted to fourth.

Sergio Gadea heads the second line of attack, lining up alongside Sandro Cortese, Bradley Smith and title challenger Simone Corsi. In a familiar story for Smith this season, the Polaris World rider found the limits of his machine in the hardest possible way, crashing whilst chasing pole position.

The highside left the Le Mans podium finisher winded, and he was stretchered away from the run-off area.

© DORNA / CAPSIS International