In the 250cc class, Mattia Pasini joined the list of those having a night to remember in Losail with victory on his category debut. The Polaris World Aprilia rider enters the quarter litre class after a 2007 season riddled with misfortune in 125cc, with last year’s race at
Jerez a particular lowpoint. Pasini qualified on pole position for the race, but a mechanical failure on the sighting lap left the Italian unable to fill his grid spot and he later followed this up with a crash into the back of the team’s current rider Bradley Smith.
Home representation in the class comes from the likes of Hector Barbera, Alvaro Bautista and Alex Debon, who all battled for victory at various stages in Losail with factory Aprilia machinery. All three will be favoured for podium success at this latest round, although the party could be spoiled by the
Red Bull KTM duo of Mika Kallio and Hiroshi Aoyama, the fastest riders in preseason testing at the Southern Spanish track.
The wide-open 125cc class also has a local hero for the Spanish fans to cheer on, with Bancaja Aspar rider Sergio Gadea establishing himself as a title contender with a 'guts and glory' performance in round one. A second Grand Prix victory from his 70th race in the lower cylinder class came against the odds for Gadea, who was riding with a dislocated collarbone that had him questioning his participation.
Behind him in Qatar, the until-now inconsistent Joan Olive is experiencing his best start to a season onboard the Belson Derbi machine, accompanying fellow countryman and 2007 Rookie of the Year Pol Espargaro. He occupied the second podium spot at Losail, with Grizzly Gas Kiefer racing’s Stefan Bradl filling the rostrum.
The likes of Mike di Meglio and Scott Redding –the youngest ever top five finisher in a Grand Prix race- should also have some say in proceedings, as will reigning World Champion and winner of last year’s race, Gabor Talmacsi.
