Halfway through the session, the standings had an unfamiliar look about them, as Guandalini Ducati's Jakub Smrz headed Alstare Suzuki's Max Neukirchner, but the surprise could not last, especially as the Czech rider crashed out shortly before the end, and his German rival slipped down to fourth. Smrz's accident did not prove too costly, however, as he was still able to hold onto fifth spot, ahead of the Sterilgarda Ducatis.
Max Biaggi was the best of Marco Borciani's boys in sixth, one spot ahead of team-mate
Ruben Xaus, who crashed for the second time in the day, again without injury. The lanky Spaniard was joined on the casualty list by backmarkers Vittorio Iannuzzo and Loic Napoleone, while
Makoto Tamada survived a trip through the gravel to secure 21st on the grid. Iannuzzo and Napoleone ended the day 23rd and 27th respectively.
At the other end of the order,
Regis Laconi showed progress by taking his PSG-1 Kawasaki to eighth, putting himself ahead of Spaniards
Fonsi Nieto - who won in Qatar for Alstare Suzuki - and Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's
Carlos Checa, who rounded out the top ten.
Morning pacesetter
Noriyuki Haga was never a factor, the Yamaha Motor Italia rider not featuring at the top of the times at any point before subsiding to 13th behind local favourites Russel Holland and
Karl Muggeridge.
