Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Thursday 250cc Qualifying Results:

1. Fonsi Nieto, Aprilia, 2:04.866
2. Toni Elias, Aprilia, 2:05.049
3. Manuel Poggiali, Aprilia, 2:05.106
4. Roberto Rolfo, Honda, 2:05.787
5. Randy De Puniet, Aprilia, 2:05.922
6. Franco Battaini, Aprilia, 2:06.167
7. Sebastian Porto, Honda, 2:06.309
8. Anthony West, Aprilia, 2:06.594
9. Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia, 2:06.671
10. Erwan Nigon, Aprilia, 2:07.089
11. Klaus Nohles, Aprilia, 2:07.501
12. Naoki Matsudo, Yamaha, 2:07.607
13. Eric Battaille, Honda, 2:07.677
14. Joan Olive, Aprilia, 2:07.754
15. Jakub Smrz, Honda, 2:08.156


More, from a press release issued by MS Aprilia Team Press Information:

A SATISFACTORY DAY

After the unlucky Catalunya GP, Manuel Poggiali and his Aprilia are back on track for the Assen GP, seventh race of the championship. This track is 6027 metres long and it’s very challenging. Moreover the weather conditions are unsettled but the first qualifying session was dry anyway and Poggiali got the third fastest lap time.

Manuel Poggiali: “Quite good today. At the end there was to much traffic and I was unable to improve. Anyway we found the right setting and this means a good advantage for me thus tomorrow I will define some details and the choice of the tyres. This track is almost difficult and it’s more exacting on 250. I mean. it’s not the power as I can easily control it but the weight is higher than the 125. On this bike there’s no time to breathe there are a lot of corners to manage and I can not loose the concentration”.