Donington Park MotoGP: Provisional front row for Scott Redding

Scott Redding set a good enough time in this afternoon’s first qualifying session to land him a provisional spot on the outside of the front row.

The 15-year-old set a lap time of 1.37.766 with four minutes left this afternoon, putting him just a quarter of a second off the eventual provisional pole man, Simone Corsi and giving him the chance to gun for his third front row of the season.

In fact the first 14 riders, going back to Danny Webb, are all covered by just one second, and there’s only 1.5 seconds between first and 23rd!

Injury-hit Bradley Smith had a difficult session, running off the circuit at Fogarty’s Esses when he out-braked himself, and ended up 12th overall, just two spots ahead of this morning’s fastest Brit Danny Webb.

Up at the front Redding was joined by Corsi, Sergio Gadea and reigning 125cc World Champion Gabor Talmasci.

All four spent the last ten minutes with red crash helmets on the timesheets indicating fastest lap times, but Corsi won through with a 1.37.488.

The Italian has already won at Jerez, Estoril and Mugello this season, but sits 14 points behind championship leader Mike Di Meglio in the rider standings.

But Di Meglio could only manage the 21st fastest time of the afternoon session, so he’ll be looking to improve tomorrow.

Donington Park MotoGP 125 qualifying one results:

1. Simone CORSI Jack & Jones WRB 1’37.488
2. Gabor TALMACSI Bancaja Aspar Team + 0.032
3. Sergio GADEA Bancaja Aspar Team + 0.161
4. Scott REDDING Blusens Aprilia Junior + 0.278
5. Pol ESPARGARO Belson Derbi + 0.461
6. Andrea IANNONE I.C. Team + 0.462
7. Nicolas TEROL Jack & Jones WRB + 0.546
8. Marc MARQUEZ Repsol KTM 125cc + 0.556
9. Pablo NIETO Onde 2000 KTM + 0.616
10. Tomoyoshi KOYAMA ISPA KTM Aran + 0.665
11. Raffaele DE ROSA Onde 2000 KTM + 0.698
12. Bradley SMITH Polaris World + 0.859
13. Esteve RABAT Repsol KTM 125cc + 0.867
14. Danny WEBB Degraaf Grand Prix + 0.985
15. Joan OLIVE Belson Derbi + 1.066
16. Steffan BONSEY Degraaf Grand Prix + 1.118