[Acidreign]

The Doctor Is In!!

ESTORIL, Portugal, Sept 3 (Reuters) - World champion
Valentino Rossi broke the lap record on Friday to grab
provisional pole for Sunday's Portuguese MotoGP Grand Prix.

The Italian Yamaha rider, who leads this year's title race
by 17 points clocked 1:38.036 at qualifying practice on Friday,
beating the 1:38.412 set last year by Italian Loris Capirossi on
a Ducati around the 4.182 km circuit.

Spain's Sete Gibernau, who beat Rossi to win the Czech
MotoGP race last month, was second with 1:38.067. Gibernau is
second in the overall title race.

"We are ahead now but there is still more work to do,
although we did some really good work today and finished first,"
Rossi told reporters.

"It's difficult to set up here because it's an old style
track, very tight and full of bumps. For sure it will be tough
here, especially against Gibernau and Barros who are looking
strong."

In the 250cc class Argentine Sebastian Porto on an Aprilia
grabbed first with 1:41.638 with Honda's Spanish rider Toni
Elias 0.007 seconds behind.

Italian championship leader Andrea Dovizioso was fastest in
the 125cc class, with a time of 1:46.280, just ahead of
compatriot and Honda team mate Simone Corsi.

((Reporting by Carlos Pontes; editing by Greg Stutchbury;
Reuters messaging: greg.stutchbury.reuters.com@reuters.net; +44
207 542-3378))

Fri Sep 3 16:16:35 2004 -GMT- pnac (nL0397063) = 1 16:16

[Acidreign]

ESTORIL, Portugal, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Times from Friday's
first qualifying session for Sunday's Portuguese Grand Prix:
MotoGP
1. Valentino Rossi (Italy) Yamaha 1:38.036
2. Sete Gibernau (Spain) Honda 1:38.067
3. Alex Barros (Brazil) Honda 1:38.215
4. Makoto Tamada (Japan) Honda 1:38.342
5. Max Biaggi (Italy) Honda 1:38.609
6. Marco Melandri (Italy) Yamaha 1:38.710
7. Colin Edwards (U.S.) Honda 1:38.738
8. John Hopkins (U.S.) Suzuki 1:38.822
9. Loris Capirossi (Italy) Ducati 1:39.071
10. Kenny Roberts (U.S.) Suzuki 1:39.078
11. Carlos Checa (Spain) Yamaha 1:39.163
12. Troy Bayliss (Australia) Ducati 1:39.279
13. Neil Hodgson (Britain) Ducati 1:39.677
14. Shinya Nakano (Japan) Kawasaki 1:39.751
15. Norick Abe (Japan) Yamaha 1:40.049
16. Ruben Xaus (Spain) Ducati 1:40.259
17. Michel Fabrizio (Italy) Harris WCM 1:40.586
18. Alex Hofmann (Germany) Kawasaki 1:40.623
19. Jeremy McWilliams (Britain) Aprilia 1:40.714
20. Nobuatsu Aoki (Japan) Proton KR 1:42.286
21. James Ellison (Britain) 1:42.530
22. Chris Burns (Britain) Harris WCB 1:43.293

[Heavy-Dee]

Check out Hopper's bitch ass.

[Acidreign]

What jumps out at me is the fact that the top four are faster than the previous track record.

[deez]

Here is the grid for tomorrow.

http://images.motograndprix.com/mult...300/300370.jpg

[coderedcbr]

Maybe hopper's bike will last for the whole race.

[Zeeman]

Looking forward to this race
Z...

[ratter]

Tamada on pole