Both Berger and Corti tested on the new asphalt at Brno recently, but Xavi did not, so he felt happy to be third at this stage.

Xavi - 3rd, 2:04.844
I wasn’t happy this morning because the track didn’t feel so good. In the afternoon session we started with this morning’s tyres and then put on new front and rear tyres and almost immediately I went five seconds a lap faster! Most of my rivals tested here recently, so I think I have done well to be third today. The bike feels good and fast and the only thing we will do is make some small changes to make it faster in the corners because that’s where I’m losing time at the moment. The new track surface feels very different to last year and I’m going to have to get used to it very soon so that we can get a good bike set-up. I had 23 staples removed from my shoulder a day or so ago and I feel much better as a result. When I had the plate and the screws inserted, the doctors told me that I had broken my collarbone in four places, not three as originally thought. But I don’t think three places ot four places makes any difference to me on the track. I just get on with it!

Friday qualifying
1 Berger (F-Honda) 2:04.062, 2 Corti (I-Yamaha) 2:04.311, 3 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki) 2:04.844, 4 Antonelli (I-Honda) 2:04.854, 5 Roberts (Aus-Ducati) 2:04.895, 6 Pirro (I-Yamaha) 2:045.012,