Loris Capirossi made more history for the Ducati Marlboro Team at red-hot Qatar today, completing the Italian squad's first pole position hat trick. Meanwhile team-mate Carlos Checa was just five tenths slower to secure a second-row start in sixth spot, thus rounding off the team's best overall qualifying performance of the season. Today's conditions at MotoGP's only Middle Eastern event were slightly cooler than yesterday's, with ambient temperatures in the mid-30s and track temperature nudging 50 degrees, but tyre wear over full-race distance is still the main concern of most teams.

"For sure this is better than we had expected before coming here," said Ducati Marlboro Team technical director Corrado Cecchinelli. "It was a great performance from Loris, with two really big laps at the end of the session. Pole is always good, and it helps for the race, but we aren't as confident going into the race as we were at the last two tracks. But then I don't think anyone is feeling really confident going into this race. It's difficult to predict what's going to happen. It looks like front tyre life is no longer our main worry, it's rear tyre consistency that is more of a concern."



CAPIROSSI CONTINUES AMAZING FORM
Top qualifier at the previous two GPs in Japan and Malaysia, Loris Capirossi won this afternoon's battle for pole after a thrilling contest with Sete Gibernau, last year's winner at Losail. The Ducati Marlboro Team man, currently enjoying his richest vein of premier-class form, smashed last year's pole record by two seconds, riding his Desmosedici like a man possessed.
"Three in a row - it's incredible, I'm so happy!" grinned the Italian. "Once again we've worked well since we got here. The bike and tyre package is really good now, which helps us to prepare for the race. The team's done a great job and Bridgestone too, especially on the front tyre. It's important to be on pole here because it's so difficult to pass. Race distance is no problem for me in this heat, but for everyone it will be difficult on tyre life. I will try my best and we will see what happens..."

CHECA JUST A TENTH OFF FRONT ROW
Carlos Checa will start tomorrow's Marlboro Qatar from the second row of the grid after going sixth fastest this afternoon. And the Ducati Marlboro Team man was just 0.121 off a front-row start.
"We are now working in the right way and moving forward all the time," said the Spaniard. "We've had some problems with front-end push here, that was our limit, but, thanks to Bridgestone, we've fixed that now. The tyres seem okay on endurance but it won't be easy in this heat. Looking at last weekend and at this weekend, it's so good to be competitive again, we've reached a good level with the bike and the tyres. It makes me feel a lot better now that I'm just a few tenths off the front guys and able to fight with them."