Motor cycling: McWilliams' turn to twist and shout

The four-stroke stranglehold was broken by Jeremy McWilliams yesterday when he produced a magnificent lap to stun his MotoGP rivals and claim provisional pole position for tomorrow's German Grand Prix here.

McWilliams, the 38-year-old KR Proton rider from Northern Ireland, powered his two-stroke machine to a lap of 1min 26.067sec.

He has suffered appaling luck so far this season, only finishing in the points twice after reliability problems. His home grand prix at Donington Park last weekend saw him retire early, but McWilliams bounced back yesterday to steal the limelight from runaway championship leader Valentino Rossi, who could only manage third, with Gauloises Yamaha's Olivier Jacque in a fine second spot.

Expectations that the two-strokes would perform well at this tight and twisty track were exceeded by McWilliams and Jacque, who held top spot for much of the session.

McWilliams insisted he could go even quicker. "It didn't feel like such a fast lap and I could have gone faster in the last two sections," he said. "I didn't like the new layout of the circuit last year but now I'm coming to enjoy it and I think I can go faster tomorrow.

Rossi's Repsol Honda was unable to compensate for the two-stroke's advantage but he will face an even trickier test later this year when he swaps to four wheels.

The Italian confirmed he will try his hand at the World Rally Championship when he takes the wheel of a Peugeot for the Rally of Great Britain in November.

He said: "It should be real fun and there will be no problems because the MotoGP season will be over," Rossi said.

The Welsh teenager Chaz Davies is aiming to improve on a qualifying position of 24th in the 125cc class today. "The track is very technical and I was out of breath, but I enjoyed it," the 15-year-old Matteoni Aprilia rider said.

Manuel Poggiali led the session on his Gilera ahead of Donington winner Arnaud Vincent's Imola Aprilia and Steve Jenkner, the Abruzzo Aprilia rider.

In the 250cc class the British pair of Jay Vincent and Leon Haslam finished 20th and 23rd respectively on their Cibertel Hondas.

Fonsi Nieto, of Telefonica Movistar Aprilia, took provisional pole with the MS Aprilia of Marco Melandri in second and Sebastian Porto's Petronas Yamaha third.