Gibernau to win a 2005 title?

Inconsistency, mistakes and plain bad luck may have prevented Sete Gibernau from winning a single grand prix to date this year, but a peerless pace during qualifying means that the Catalan is now all but assured of winning the 2005 BMW Best Qualifier Award.

The award, and prize of a BMW M5 sports car, is handed to the rider who has the lowest total time when their 17 MotoGP qualifying results - and best lap from the pre-season test at Barcelona - are tallied up.

With only one qualifying session left, at this weekend's Valencia season finale, Gibernau is currently 1.956secs clear of next best qualifier Valentino Rossi - who has won all (two) previous end of season BMW awards - with Repsol Honda's Nicky Hayden third, 4.653secs back of the Movistar Honda rider.

Nevertheless, Gibernau would doubtless trade the BMW prize to stand on the top step of the podium in front of his home fans this weekend - after a race that is expected to mark his final appearance for Honda before moving to Ducati Marlboro for 2006.

"After a very difficult season, in which I learned a lot, I would like to end this championship with a good result and I want to do this in Valencia, a home track where I will have all the support of my fans," said Sete, who has taken four pole positions this year.

"To race the last round of the season in Spain is an extra motivation. I would like to give a gift to all those fans who follow my races and in particular to my fan club who always stood by me, even during this particularly difficult year. A gift to my team as well, who always did a fantastic job and who I would like to thank with a great finale," he added.

Gibernau took the first of his nine premier-class wins to date on a 500cc Suzuki at Valencia in 2001.