Donington Park MotoGP: Casey Stoner obliterates competition to qualify pole; James Toseland crashes, twice

Casey Stoner put in an unstoppable performance in this afternoon’s MotoGP qualifying session, securing the pole spot by 0.649 seconds.

Stoner put in the fastest of his laps with no time left on the clock; a stunning 1.38.232, which put him nearly two-thirds of a second ahead of closest rival, Valentino Rossi.

It wasn’t quite the same story for fans favourite James though, as he went down twice at the end of the session within a lap.

Toseland had a big high-side at Goddards, remounted the bike and then had to jump off his Tech 3 Yamaha again at the fast section of left handers, Schwantz Curve.

According to contacts close to Toseland, he had just gone out a new tyre.

He did walk away uninjured, but the loss of time meant he will have to start from 16th on the grid, his worst qualifying in MotoGP to date.

With Stoner gliding to his second pole of the season, and the second in succession, Rossi and second of the Aussies Chris Vermeulen battle it out for runners-up spot.

Rossi won through, securing his fourth front-row start of the season, while Vemeulen had to settle for third, his best qualifying o the season by a massive five positions!

The second row will be made up of the consistently quick Nicky Hayden on the pneumatic-valved RCV Honda, just ahead of Colin Edwards and fastest man in this morning’s wet free practice, Andrea Dovizioso.

The surprise result came on the third row with Rizla Suzuki debut boy Ben Spies pulling out the eighth fastest time of the session on his first ever outing on the 2008-spec GSCR and at a circuit he’d not seen before until yesterday.

Wet weather specialist Anthony West made sure Kawasaki had a representative up front with a 7th fastest time, and Dani Pedrosa landed the final spot on the third row despite still suffering from injuries picked up testing in Spain two week’s ago.

Donington Park MotoGP qualifying results

1. C. STONER Ducati Marlboro Team 1’38.232
2. V. ROSSI Fiat Yamaha Team + 0.649
3. C. VERMEULEN Rizla Suzuki MotoGP + 0.786
4. N. HAYDEN Repsol Honda Team + 1.038
5. C. EDWARDS Tech 3 Yamaha + 1.369
6. A. DOVIZIOSO JiR Team Scot MotoGP + 1.551
7. A. WEST Kawasaki Racing Team + 1.763
8. B. SPIES Rizla Suzuki MotoGP + 2.012
9. D. PEDROSA Repsol Honda Team + 2.118
10. S. NAKANO San Carlo Honda Gresini + 2.185
11. J. HOPKINS Kawasaki Racing Team + 2.307
12. S. GUINTOLI Alice Team + 2.363
13. A. DE ANGELIS San Carlo Honda Gresini + 2.435
14. R. DE PUNIET LCR Honda MotoGP + 2.878
15. M. MELANDRI Ducati Marlboro Team + 3.147
16. J. TOSELAND Tech 3 Yamaha + 3.519
17. J. LORENZO Fiat Yamaha Team + 3.641
18. T. ELIAS Alice Team + 4.701