Moto Gp: Simoncelli takes pole in Catalunya

BARCELONA: Honda rider Marco Simoncelli will start from pole in today’s  Catalunya Moto GP after clocking the fastest time in qualifying yesterday. The Italian was 16 thousandths of a second faster than Australia’s former world champion Casey Stoner, also riding a Honda, and 315 thousandths of a second quicker than Spain’s world champion and series leader Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha. Simoncelli’s success will not be popular as he had received threats ahead of the race after Spanish motorcycling fans blamed him for the absence of their home favourite Dani Pedrosa, who was ruled out after a collision with the Italian at the French Grand Prix.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2011.