Australia MotoGP: Late crash costs Bradley Smith front row

A last lap crash cost Bradley Smith his eighth front row start of 2009, the British rider starting tomorrow’s Phillip Island 125GP from fifth place spot on the grid.

The 18-year-old was looking good to secure a place on the front row when he lost the front-end of his Aspar Aprilia at the slow Turn Four on his final flying lap.

His late mistake left the Oxfordshire rider with a best lap of 1.38.155, which missed the front row by just 0.019s.

Smith had dropped down to ninth place in the closing stages but superbly clawed his way back into second place on his penultimate lap before his late spill.

In front of Smith, Pol Espargaro continued his purple patch with his first pole position of the season. Winner of two out of the last three races, the Spaniard clocked a best time of 1.37.770 to claim pole by 0.279s from compatriot Nicolas Terol.

World championship leader Julian Simon, who can clinch the world title in tomorrow’s 23-lap race, will start from third on the grid after he posted a best time of 1.38.067 on his final lap.

Italian Simone Corsi claimed his first front row start of the season in fourth, though his best time of 1.38.136 was set chasing Smith.

British teenager Danny Webb had a nightmare qualifying session, the Degraaf Aprilia rider ending up in 21st place. He missed the majority of the session having crashed out at the halfway stage with a painful high-side exiting Turn Four.

The Kent rider lost the front at the same place in yesterday’s opening practice session. Scott Redding was a further three places adrift in 24th as he too had a disastrous session.

The 16-year-old, who crashed heavily yesterday after a tangle with Stefan Bradl, could only muster a best time of 1.39.990 in the ten laps he managed to complete.