Lotus Aprilia's Alex Debon his taken his second pole of the 2008 250cc season by edging out Alvaro Bautista by just 0.001secs as the chequered flag was waved at Le Mans.

Rain at the start of the session sent the field back into the pit garages, but the shower soon passed and as the track dried the quarter-litre contenders returned to the circuit and began steadily approaching the Friday pace.

Bautista, like half of the top ten, was unable to improve on his Friday qualifying time, while Marco Simoncelli did lower his best slightly to defend third. Thomas Luthi found almost 0.3secs to claim the final front row start, with star rookie Mattia Pasini pushed back to fifth as a result.

World championship leader Mika Kallio had been just tenth on Friday, but improved to sixth place on Saturday, as the top KTM rider.

Final qualifying - Le Mans:

1. Debon (Aprilia)

2. Bautista (Aprilia) +0.001secs

3. Simoncelli (Gilera) +0.089secs

4. Luthi (Aprilia) +0.170secs

5. Pasini (Aprilia) +0.310secs

6. Kallio (KTM) +0.312secs

7. Simon (KTM) +0.573secs

8. Poggiali (Gilera) +0.586secs

9. Espargaro (Aprilia) +0.706secs

10. Aoyama (KTM) +0.719secs

18. Laverty (Aprilia) +1.847secs