British MotoGP: Bradley Smith storms to home pole position

Bradley Smith produced a stunning final lap to storm to pole position for his home 125GP at Donington Park tomorrow.

The Aspar Aprilia rider looked like he might have to settle for second place after started his final lap in second place, just 0.100s adrift of KTM rival Marc Marquez.

But a brilliant last lap of 1.37.442 elevated Smith to pole position, the 18-year-old getting a raucous reception from a large qualifying crowd this after at the Leicestershire circuit.

It was only Smith’s second pole position of the season and gave him a massive confidence boost ahead of tomorrow’s 25-lap 125GP.

Starting the race 30-points adrift of series leader and Aspar Aprilia team-mate Julian Simon, Smith’s last lap secured him pole by 0.131s, with Marquez claiming second.

Simon recovered from an early technical problem on his number one bike to surge back onto the front row with a best lap of 1.37.749 that left him trailing Smith by 0.307s.

And finishing off another dominant session for Jorge Martinez’s Aspar team, Sergio Gadea claimed the final spot on the front row with a best time of 1.37.849.

Scott Redding will have to produce a sensational performance tomorrow if he is to repeat his record-breaking Donington success from last June.

The 16-year-old had to settle for 11th on the Blusens Aprilia as he clocked a best time of 1.38.501.

That left the Gloucestershire rider just over a second away from Smith’s best pace.

Three places further back will be Kent rider Danny Webb on the Degraaf Aprilia. The 18-year-old logged a best time of 1.38.570 to finish just over a tenth away from Redding.