The San Carlo Honda Gresini rider secured the first pole position of his premier class career in qualifying for the Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya.

Marco Simoncelli will start Sunday’s Gran Premi Aperol de Catalunya race from pole position after topping the qualifying session with a late lap, one which deposed Casey Stoner from the top of the timesheet and which handed the Italian rider his first ever premier class pole start.

Simoncelli, for whom a first premier class podium finish has looked a strong possibility as each of the previous four rounds of the 2011 campaign have passed, timed in with a 1’42.413 on his penultimate lap of the session to push in front of Stoner by a mere 0.016s.


“I’m very satisfied and happy,” said Simoncelli. “I didn’t expect it because Stoner was faster than me in the other sessions and today we had some problems in the first part of qualifying, but after we chose the right tyre for me I could push like I wanted and got this time. I’m really happy and for sure tomorrow will be difficult in the race, but I will do my best to push for the podium or even victory.”

He added: “Stoner’s race pace is very fast, as is Jorge’s (Lorenzo). We will see tomorrow – I’ll try and see if I can succeed.”

The result provided Simoncelli the perfect opportunity to put the recent controversy which followed the Le Mans incident involving Dani Pedrosa behind him, and he was relieved to be able to focus on riding once again.

“This is the best way to forget what happened in Le Mans and what everyone has been saying in the last two weeks, and before this race,” he concluded.