BRNO, Czech Republic, 17 August 2003 — World champion Valentino Rossi set another lap record to take pole position for today’s Czech Grand Prix here yesterday. The Italian Honda rider set the fastest lap of 1:58.769 ahead of Spanish title rival rider Sete Gibernau at 0.130, with Italians Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi completing the front row.

Rossi smashed the record 1min 59.520sec set by Biaggi on Friday to give himself his first pole since the Catalan GP in June. The Honda rider, hoping to end his worst winning drought in three years here, said: “I am very happy. We did some good work today and wanted the pole position so I was making some laps with a soft tire. In the end the time was great.”

He added: “It will be hard tomorrow because the front row are all under 1.59. Now I hope that we have some good weather and we can sort out the right tire choice for the race.”

Rossi still leads the world championship but his advantage over Gibernau is down to just 29 points after the Spaniard made the most of a rare slip by Rossi to take victory in the German Grand Prix in the last round in July. Rossi’s dry spell now stretches to four races and he comes to a Czech Grand Prix with last year’s nightmare race here still fresh in his mind — he failed to finish while Biaggi took his first win of the season. Gibernau predicted a tough race ahead.

“It will be a very difficult race. I must sit down and talk some more with the team now but I am happy with the progress.”

Earlier Japanese MotoGP rider Shinya Nakano was hospitalized after suffering a loss of memory following a heavy crash during free practice. The 25-year-old Yamaha rider lost control coming out of a wide left bend and fell heavily, sliding along the track before crashing into the tire barrier, followed by his bike which struck him.

He was transported by ambulance to the mobile clinic on site where he received treatment from Italian doctor Claudio Costa, before being airlifted to Brno hospital, conscious but suffering from a loss of memory.

Dr. Costa said that Nakano had suffered concussion but no broken bones, and had no problem moving his limbs, and will undergo a scan in hospital.