Qatar MotoGP: Brits make flying start in season opener

British rider Bradley Smith has made a sensational start to the 2008 125GP world championship in Qatar tonight (Friday).

The Polaris World Aprilia rider topped the timesheets in the opening free practice session with a best time of 2:06.904 in an amazing opening for British riders.

Blusens Aprilia rider Scott Redding was third fastest with a best time of 2:07.168, which was just 0.264secs behind Smith and 0.020secs faster than reigning world champion Gabor Talmacsi.

And Danny Webb completed a brilliant opening session with the seventh fastest time as preparations for the historic first night race got underway tonight.

Bradley Smith jumped to the top of the timesheets in the dying moments to deny Redding an amazing start, as the 15-year-old Gloucester rider shot to the top in the last minute.

Smith’s performance continued his brilliant winter testing form as he’d topped the timesheets in three of the four winter test sessions in 2008.

Danny Webb was as high as third in the opening stages before he dropped out of the top ten, only to then post 2:07.606 which rocketed him back up to seventh.

Qatar 125 MotoGP practice one results:

Bradley SMITH GBR Polaris World APRILIA 2’06.904
2 Mike DI MEGLIO FRA Ajo Motorsport DERBI 2’07.053
3 Scott REDDING GBR Blusens Aprilia Junior APRILIA 2’07.168
4 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Bancaja Aspar Team APRILIA 2’07.188
5 Nicolas TEROL SPA Jack & Jones WRB APRILIA 2’07.200
6 Stevie BONSEY USA Degraff Grand Prix APRILIA 2’07.346
7 Danny WEBB GBR Arie Molenaar Racing APRILIA 2’07.606
8 Efren VAZQUEZ SPA Blusens Aprilia Junior APRILIA 2’07.804
9 Raffaele DE ROSA ITA Onde 2000 KTM KTM 2’07.842
10 Stefano BIANCO ITA S3+ WTR San Marino Team APRILIA 2’07.977
11 Andrea IANNONE ITA I.C. Team APRILIA 2’07.984
12 Pol ESPARGARO SPA Belson Derbi DERBI 2’08.028
13 Stefan BRADL GER Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing APRILIA 2’08.030
14 Sergio GADEA SPA Bancaja Aspar Team APRILIA 2’08.115
15 Joan OLIVE SPA Belson Derbi DERBI 2’08.290
16 Simone CORSI ITA Jack & Jones WRB APRILIA 2’08.370
17 Sandro CORTESE GER Emmi – Caffe Latte APRILIA 2’08.521
18 Tomoyoshi KOYAMA JPN ISPA KTM Aran KTM 2’08.587
19 Takaaki NAKAGAMI JPN I.C. Team APRILIA 2’08.805
20 Esteve RABAT SPA Repsol KTM 125cc KTM 2’08.814
21 Michael RANSEDER AUT I.C. Team APRILIA 2’08.892
22 Randy KRUMMENACHER SWI Red Bull KTM 125 KTM 2’09.693
23 Pablo NIETO SPA Onde 2000 KTM KTM 2’09.726
24 Robin LASSER GER Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing APRILIA 2’09.758
25 Lorenzo ZANETTI ITA ISPA KTM Aran KTM 2’09.876
26 Pere TUTUSAUS SPA Bancaja Aspar Team APRILIA 2’10.007
27 Alexis MASBOU FRA Loncin Racing LONCIN 2’10.012
28 Dominique AEGERTER SWI Ajo Motorsport DERBI 2’10.426
29 Hugo VAN DEN BERG NED Degraff Grand Prix APRILIA 2’10.577
30 Louis ROSSI FRA FFM Honda GP 125 HONDA 2’10.604
31 Jules CLUZEL FRA Loncin Racing LONCIN 2’11.382
32 Robert MURESAN ROU Grizzly Gas Kiefer Racing APRILIA 2’11.660
33 Dino LOMBARDI ITA BQR Blusens APRILIA 2’12.848
34 Roberto LACALENDOLA ITA Matteoni Racing APRILIA 2’17.979