Mugello MotoGP: Bradley Smith and Scott Redding 1-2 on grid

Bradley Smith and Scott Redding claimed a stunning British 1-2 on the grid for tomorrow’s Italian 125GP race in Mugello.

Incredibly, today’s result is the first time that a British duo has occupied the first two places on a Grand Prix grid for 30 years!

Aspar Aprilia rider Smith claimed the fourth pole position of his career with a brilliant lap of 1.58.134 with four minutes of a sun-drenched qualifying session remaining.
And Blusens Aprilia rider Redding claimed his second front row start in equally impressive fashion as he seized second place on his last flying lap.

The 16-year-old clocked a best of 1.58.431 to finish just 0.297s outside of Smith’s best time.

World championship leader Julian Simon was third and 0.441s off the pace of 18-year-old Smith, who had first jumped to the top of the timesheets with 22 minutes remaining.

Smith goes into tomorrow’s 20–lap race trailing Spanish team-mate Simon by just five-and-a-half points and he looks a good bet to mount a serious challenge for his second victory of the 2009 campaign.

Completing the front of the grid is third Aspar Aprilia rider Sergio Gadea, the Spaniard claiming fourth with a best lap of 1.58.621.

Danny Webb made it three Brits in the top ten as the Degraaf Aprilia rider ended up 10th on the grid with a best time of 1.59.478.

Matt Hoyle is not competing in this weekend’s fifth round of the world championship in Mugello following the withdrawal of the Chinese-backed Haojue squad.

The new project, run by former Suzuki MotoGP boss Garry Taylor, has been badly hindered by a woefully slow engine. With Mugello such a horsepower dominated circuit with a home straight over 0.7 miles in length, the team have opted to sit out the Italian clash.

It is not clear whether the team will return for the Catalunya 125GP in Barcelona on June 14.

1  Bradley SMITH  GBR  Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc  Aprilia  1’58.134 
2  Scott REDDING  GBR  Blusens Aprilia  Aprilia  1’58.431  
3  Julian SIMON  SPA  Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc  Aprilia  1’58.575  
4  Sergio GADEA  SPA  Bancaja Aspar Team 125cc  Aprilia  1’58.621
5  Marc MARQUEZ  SPA  Red Bull KTM Moto Sport  KTM  1’58.947
6  Andrea IANNONE  ITA  Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.  Aprilia  1’59.121
7  Johann ZARCO  FRA  WTR San Marino Team  Aprilia  1’59.178
8  Pol ESPARGARO  SPA  Derbi Racing Team  Derbi  1’59.186
9  Sandro CORTESE  GER  Ajo Interwetten  Derbi  1’59.358
10  Danny WEBB  GBR  Degraaf Grand Prix  Aprilia  1’59.478
11  Simone CORSI  ITA  Jack & Jones Team  Aprilia  1’59.589  
12  Nicolas TEROL  SPA  Jack & Jones Team  Aprilia  1’59.600
13  Randy KRUMMENACHER  SWI  Degraaf Grand Prix  Aprilia  1’59.726
14  Esteve RABAT  SPA  Blusens Aprilia  Aprilia  1’59.974
15  Efren VAZQUEZ  SPA  Derbi Racing Team  Derbi  2’00.032
16  Lorenzo ZANETTI  ITA  Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.  Aprilia  2’00.113
17  Joan OLIVE  SPA  Derbi Racing Team  Derbi  2’00.118
18  Dominique AEGERTER  SWI  Ajo Interwetten  Derbi  2’00.149
19  Stefan BRADL  GER  Viessmann Kiefer Racing  Aprilia  2’00.335
20  Lorenzo SAVADORI  ITA  Fontana Racing  Aprilia  2’00.384
21  Riccardo MORETTI  ITA  Elligi Racing  Aprilia  2’00.392
22  Takaaki NAKAGAMI  JPN  Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.  Aprilia  2’00.445
23  Jonas FOLGER  GER  Ongetta Team I.S.P.A.  Aprilia  2’00.672
24  Luigi MORCIANO  ITA  Junior GP Racing Dream  Aprilia  2’01.206
25  Lukas SEMBERA  CZE  Matteoni Racing  Aprilia  2’01.406
26  Davide STIRPE  ITA  CRP Racing  Honda  2’01.425
27  Alessandro TONUCCI  ITA  Junior GP Racing Dream  Aprilia  2’01.814
28  Tomoyoshi KOYAMA  JPN  Loncin Racing  Loncin  2’02.353
29  Gennaro SABATINO  ITA  Junior GP Racing Dream  Aprilia  2’02.821
30  Jasper IWEMA  NED  Racing Team Germany  Honda  2’03.135
31  Alexis MASBOU  FRA  Loncin Racing  Loncin  2’03.226
32  Luca MARCONI  ITA  CBC Corse  Aprilia  2’04.577
33  Luca VITALI  ITA  CBC Corse  Aprilia  2’05.793