The changing conditions throughout the first day of practice and qualifying disrupted proceedings so badly that no rider completed more than nine laps in the afternoon timed session. Qualifying had started dry, but after about ten minutes or so, the first rain shower fell, causing the field to scurry back to their garages. The rain abated for a while, but it wasn’t long before it started again and this time the showers were much heavier and hail also began to fall.
The inclement conditions meant that no rider ventured out again and so the provisional grid was formed from the lap times set at the beginning of the session. Team Suzuki Alstare riders Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama finished fourth and ninth quickest, with Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner tenth. Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) topped the standings today, with Troy Bayliss (Ducati) second and Carlos Checa.
Fonsi - 4th, 1:41.513
Conditions this morning in the free practice were half dry and half wet and that is never easy. In the afternoon I managed eight laps before the rain and after that it was not worth going out again because the track was very wet and slippery. I like this track though, and I am hoping that it is dry and we have good conditions tomorrow and Sunday.
Yukio Kagayama - 9th, 1:41.892
The conditions were not very good today and so we were not able to do many laps and get a good set-up - either dry or wet. I only did eight laps this afternoon and then the rain came down and that was that. I hope the weather is better tomorrow and we can find a good set-up.
Max - 10th, 1:41.900
This morning was not really dry and so I didn’t ride many laps. In the afternoon qualifying, it was dry at first and that’s when we all set our best lap times. But the dry spell only lasted for a a short while and I only managed seven laps before the rain fell and disrupted everything. The track was very slippery in the wet, so I am hoping that it will be dry tomorrow.
Conditions: Dry, wet, cold, 7-12C
Friday Qualifying:
1 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:41.012
2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:41.020
3 Checa (E-Honda) 1:41.130
4 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:41.513
5 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:41.515
6 Rolfo (I-Honda) 1:41.681
7 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:41.783
8 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:41.885
9 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare) 1:41.892
10 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:41.900
