Gibernau claims Czech pole position
Saturday, 27 August 2005 17:21Spain's Sete Gibernau set a qualifying lap record to take pole position at the Czech Grand Prix, narrowly defeating fellow Honda rider Nicky Hayden.
Gibernau, winner of last year's race at the undulating Masaryk circuit, laid down a lap of one minute 57.504 seconds to steal the pole from the American Hayden, who seconds earlier had posted a lap of 1:57.551.
Loris Capirossi on a Ducati fills out the front row for Sunday's race, while his Italian compatriot and champion Valentino Rossi could only manage fourth on the grid.
"Normally here in Brno the race is long and hard with many different places to pass and overtake. Many things here happen in the last lap, the last corner, we have to be ready for that," Gibernau said after taking his third pole of the season.
The 32-year-old should know after losing to Rossi in 2003 on the last lap, before holding him off last year in the final corner to win.
Rossi, just two wins away from clinching the World MotoGP crown for the fifth consecutive year, may have little to worry about despite being off the front row.
He placed fourth in qualifying this season in both China and Germany before going on to win each of those races.
Overall, he has taken eight of 10 chequered flags this season, and already holds a 120-point lead in the championship, the greatest advantage that any rider has enjoyed at this stage in the competition.
Rossi needs one more win to equal his total of nine from last year and that puts him within sight of Australian Mick Doohan's record of 12 victories in a single season.
A win at Brno would also put Rossi clear in third place in total GP victories, behind only Giacomo Agostini and Angel Nieto. Rossi is tied with Mike Hailwood's total of 76 GP victories.
