Mexico City, Mexico (My Sportsbook) - Three-time series winner Sebastien Bourdais grabbed the provisional pole for Sunday's Gran Premio Telmex Champ Car race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. The No.1 Newman/Haas driver circled the 2.48-mile, 15-turn road course in one minute, 25.449 seconds (116.870 m.p.h.).

The provisional pole win will guarantee the Frenchman a front row starting position and one championship point.

Behind Bourdais was Justin Wilson (1:25.560), rookie Will Power (1:25.624), Bruno Junqueira (1:26.118) and Ryan Briscoe (1:26.494).

Wilson returns from a wrist injury suffered during practice at Surfers Paradise, but veteran driver Paul Tracy injured his shoulder during a drunken episode involving a golf cart and will not get in a race car this weekend.

A couple of new drivers will be out to prove they are worthy of a permanent spot behind the wheel.

Young Mexican David Martinez will get a chance to drive a Champ Car in front of his hometown fans. The Champ Car Atlantic driver (fifth overall in 2006) will pilot a Forsythe Championship Racing machine.

Buddy Rice will be making his debut in the series driving for Forsythe Championship Racing replacing A.J. Allmendinger who has jumped to NASCAR. Rice has competed in the IndyCar Series since 2001 and won the 2004 Indianapolis 500. Rice was 13th quickest in the first qualifying session.

"This will be like a homecoming for me; I won the Champ Car Atlantic Championship in 2000 and that's where I honed my driving skills, so being back in the Champ Car family is something that I've been looking forward to for a long time," said Rice.

Second round qualifying is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. (et) and the race is scheduled to drop the green flag at 3 p.m. on Sunday.