Sergio Gadea may have lapped a worrying 0.87secs slower during final 125cc qualifying at Le Mans, but the Spaniard still hung on to pole by just 0.025secs.

Bradley Smith, second to Gadea by 0.099secs on Friday, was the only rider in the top four to improve during Saturday's hotter session - the Polaris World Aprilia rider being denied his fourth pole of the season by the smallest of margins.

Stefan Bradl and world championship leader Simone Corsi kept their third and fourth place starts to complete Sunday's front row.

Sandro Cortese was one of the few front-running riders to make significant progress, jumping from tenth to fifth, while world champion Gabor Talmacsi improved to a more modest eighth.

Final qualifying - Le Mans:

1. Gadea (Aprilia)

2. Smith (Aprilia) +0.025secs

3. Bradl (Aprilia) +0.195secs

4. Corsi (Aprilia) +0.196secs

5. Cortese (Aprilia) +0.296secs

6. di Meglio (Derbi) +0.441secs

7. Terol (Aprilia) +0.601secs

8. Talmacsi (Aprilia) +0.695secs

9. Rabat (Honda) +0.829secs

10. Espargaro (Derbi) +0.970secs

12. Redding (Aprilia) +1.278secs

15. Webb (Aprilia) +1.359secs