125cc: Nieto steals provisional pole
Pablo Nieto stole a last-gasp provisional pole on a drying track in first qualifying for this weekend's 125cc race at Sepang
Nieto jumped from near the bottom of the grid to the top position after the chequered flag had fallen as his final lap of the session put him on top by 2.706 seconds.
Next fastest was perennial pole man Mattia Pasini, just ahead of Lukas Pesek who had set his own pole mark after the chequered flag fell, only to see it eclipsed twice.
Gabor Talmacsi, who set the fastest time with seven minutes remaining and lowered the mark on his next two laps, ended the session fourth, nearly three seconds off Nieto's pace.
Stefan Bradl and Mike di Meglio put in some fast times at the end of the session, to finish fifth and sixth.
Despite Talmacsi's late demotion at the top of the order, he is much better placed than championship rival Hector Faubel, who ended the session in 31st position, 11 and a half seconds away from pole.
Pos Rider Make Time 1. Pablo Nieto Aprilia 2:23.886 2. Mattia Pasini Aprilia 2:26.592 + 2.706 3. Lukas Pesek Derbi 2:26.773 + 2.887 4. Gabor Talmacsi Aprilia 2:26.841 + 2.955 5. Stefan Bradl Aprilia 2:27.565 + 3.679 6. Mike Di Meglio Honda 2:27.903 + 4.017 7. Sandro Cortese Aprilia 2:28.055 + 4.169 8. Esteve Rabat Honda 2:28.059 + 4.173 9. Michael Ranseder Derbi 2:28.371 + 4.485 10. Bradley Smith Honda 2:28.478 + 4.592 11. Sergio Gadea Aprilia 2:28.510 + 4.624 12. Joan Olive Aprilia 2:29.356 + 5.470 13. Simone Corsi Aprilia 2:29.930 + 6.044 14. Steve Bonsey KTM 2:30.010 + 6.124 15. Alexis Masbou Honda 2:30.151 + 6.265 16. Pol Espargaro Aprilia 2:30.542 + 6.656 17. Daniel Webb Honda 2:30.695 + 6.809 18. Nicolas Terol Derbi 2:30.737 + 6.851 19. Cyril Carrillo Honda 2:30.778 + 6.892 20. Raffaele De Rosa Aprilia 2:30.909 + 7.023 21. Andrea Iannone Aprilia 2:30.979 + 7.093 22. Lorenzo Zanetti Aprilia 2:31.015 + 7.129 23. R.Krummenacher KTM 2:31.174 + 7.288 24. Tomoyoshi Koyama KTM 2:31.401 + 7.515 25. Stefano Bianco Aprilia 2:31.420 + 7.534 26. S.G.Giorgi Aprilia 2:31.465 + 7.579 27. F.Lamborghini Aprilia 2:31.600 + 7.714 28. Joey Litjens Honda 2:32.749 + 8.863 29. D.Agerter Aprilia 2:32.807 + 8.921 30. Dino Lombardi Honda 2:33.919 + 10.03 31. Hector Faubel Aprilia 2:35.437 + 11.55 32. Robert Muresan Derbi 2:36.410 + 12.52 33. R.Tamburini Aprilia 2:39.004 + 15.11
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